Maybrook Trailway Officially Opens, Marking the Completion of the Empire State Trail
With spring just around the corner, Hudson Valley residents are looking forward to taking advantage of a new outdoor green space this year.
This past January, the Maybrook Trailway opened following years of planning and construction. Stretching between Dutchess and Putnam counties, the paved, off-road pedestrian trail is made up of two sections, spanning more than 23 miles, from Hopewell Junction to Brewster and then from Brewster to Pawling.
The completion of the Maybrook Trailway also marked the completion of the much larger Empire State Trail. Originally announced in 2017, the Empire State Trail is a combined 750+ miles of pedestrian trail which runs from New York City north to the Canadian Border, and from Albany to Buffalo.
Built alongside unused Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) tracks that previously made up Beacon Line, which was owned and operated by the Maybrook Railroad Company, the trail is frequented by runners, walkers, cyclists, and nature enthusiasts alike.
With the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, safe recreational space is perhaps more important now than ever before. “It’s great to be able to get outside safely,” said Pete Canale, a local runner who frequently takes advantage of the already existing Hopewell to Poughkeepsie section of the rail trail, “we’re very fortunate to have something like this in our area.”
“The Hudson Valley Rail Trail is such a valuable asset to Hudson Valley runners providing many miles of paved trails, free from the dangers of cars,” said Kimberly Caruso, a small business owner and Vice-President of the Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club, “The trail allows runners of all abilities to do their long runs without having to worry about mapping out routes and dodging cars.”
“It doesn’t hurt that it connects to a historic landmark as well — the Walkway Over the Hudson, which not only provides a beautiful backdrop when running, but also happens to be the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world,” Caruso continued.
The Empire State Trail is quite unique, in fact, there is no other trail system like it in the United States. Originally announced in 2017, during New York Governer Andrew Cuomo’s State of The State address, the project required roughly 40 construction projects to connect 20 regional trails. The trail has been one of Governer Cuomo’s primary initiatives during his time as governor.
“There’s no trail like it in the nation — 750 miles of multi-use trail literally from Manhattan to the Canadian Border, from Buffalo to Albany,” Cuomo told reporters during a press conference late last year, “not only does it provide an opportunity to experience the natural beauty and history of New York, but it also gives New Yorkers from every corner of the state a safe outlet for recreation as we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic… there is no better time than now to put on your mask and experience it for yourself.”
The Maybrook Trailway section was built and paved by the Metro-North Railroad, using roughly $42 million in state funding. The section had been largely unused by the railroad since the 1970s. In total, the Empire State Trail cost in excess of $250 million to complete; however the economic benefit generated annually from tourism is expected to dwarf that number.
