NYSDOT Announces Segment of Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail Pavement to Be Rehabilitated in Albany County
NYSDOT Announces Segment of Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail Pavement to Be Rehabilitated in Albany County
Repaving Nearly Three-Mile Stretch of Riverfront Trail Between Watervliet and Albany Will Create Smoother Ride for All Users
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez today announced the start of a $757,000 project to rehabilitate the pavement on a 2.8-mile segment of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail between the northern city line of Albany and the 4th Street trailhead and parking lot in the city of Watervliet in Albany County along the Hudson River. The work on this pre-existing segment of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail, which is part of the statewide Empire State Trail, will provide for a smoother ride for all users of this popular Capital Region route.
“The Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail provides unique recreational opportunities to thousands of Capital Region residents and visitors every year, and like any structural asset, it requires periodic maintenance” Commissioner Dominguez said. “The trail is well-used by cyclists, walkers and runners for local trips and is a critical link in the 750-mile Empire State Trail which connects Albany to New York City, Canada and Buffalo. By improving the pavement on this vital connection between Albany and Watervliet, we are ensuring that users of all abilities will have an easier, smoother experience for years to come and will want to return to this trail again and again.”
The work will address older, uneven patches of the trail pavement in disrepair due to age and tree roots growing underneath to create a uniform 10-foot-wide surface for bicyclists and pedestrians. During the work, which begins Monday, May 24, this segment of trail will be closed around the clock Mondays through Thursdays each week until Thursday, July 1. The trail will be fully opened on all Fridays through Sundays.
Crews will perform full-depth asphalt reconstruction on sections needing the most repairs, as well as milling and filling other sections. The entire length of the project will be overlaid with new pavement.
During the Mondays-through-Thursdays temporary closures, long-distance bicyclists can follow the following detour, which will be posted with signs:
From the 4th Street trailhead in Watervliet:
- Travel north on Broadway two blocks to 6th Street
- Travel west on 6th Street to reach southbound State Route 32 (Third Avenue in Watervliet, which becomes Broadway in Menands)
- From Broadway in Menands, turn left onto Simmons Lane
- From Simmons Lane, turn right onto Canal Road South, which becomes Erie Boulevard in Albany
- From Erie Boulevard in Albany, turn left onto Colonie Street which turns into Quay Street and leads to the Corning Riverfront parking lot of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail/Empire State Trail.
The nearly three-mile trail segment to be rehabilitated intersects with the connection to the recently opened Menands shared-use path 
for pedestrians and cyclists along the side of the Exit 6 entrance ramp to Interstate 787. The nearly one-mile long path, which opened in January, links the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail to Broadway in the village of Menands, giving users the ability to go directly from the riverfront trail to downtown Menands without having to traverse the interstate.
Senator Neil Breslin said, “Thank you to the State Department of Transportation for these improvements to the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail. Expanding and improving the trail is a huge improvement to our region’s multi-modal transportation network.”
Assembly Member John McDonald said, “This project to repave a portion of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail will enhance safety for cyclists and pedestrians alike. With more people looking for outdoor activities nearby, trails like this offer more space to exercise or get to other recreational areas. Thank you to the Department of Transportation for their continued commitment to increasing safety and accessibility for our trails.”
Menands Village Mayor Megan Grenier said, “Improved pedestrian access and multimodal transportation options are a priority for the Village of Menands and are part of its recently adopted Compressed Plan vison and overall economic development strategy. The rehabilitation of the 2.8-mile segment of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail and construction of the new bike/pedestrian connector within the Village will further these goals and enhance the community’s quality of life for residents and visitors alike.”
Colonie Town Supervisor Paula Mahan said, “These improvements to the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail will be a great benefit for riders and walkers in the Capital Region. I thank the New York State Department of Transportation for making this investment to rehabilitate this segment of the trail.”
Watervliet City Mayor Charles Patricelli said, “This is fantastic news, not only promoting a healthy lifestyle and a cleaner environment for the joggers, walkers and bikers that use the trail but it enhances our new trail from the 4th St tunnel to Hudson Shores picturesque riverfront park. I’ve seen a tremendous influx of users on our new trail allowing us to highlight our rich city’s history and is also an economic benefit to our businesses, especially to our many excellent eating establishments. The completion of the shared-use path supports many of the goals of the City of Watervliet’s Comprehensive Plan. This will pay off in dividends for everyone involved.”
For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org, or download the free 511NY mobile app.
Follow New York State DOT on Twitter: @NYSDOT. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/NYSDOT. For tweets from New York State DOT Region 1 (covering the Capital Region), follow @NYSDOTAlbany.
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