Contact: David Galin
ALBANY, NY – Mayor Kathy Sheehan joined state and local partners to unveil the highly anticipated South End Connector, a $1.7 million project that links the Mohawk Hudson Hike-Bike Trail to the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail along the Hudson River. The trail creates the City’s first physically separated two-way cycle path – a safe, attractive, and environmentally friendly corridor for pedestrians and cyclists to travel between these two bike and pedestrian trails.
Mayor Sheehan also announced the kick-off of Phase Two of the project – which will engage the South End community and others in finding ways to make the space surrounding the South End Connector underneath Interstate 787 more attractive and engaging to the public.
About the South End Connector
The 1.5-mile South End Connector features the first physically separated two-way cycle track in the City. The trail is protected by a landscaped buffer from the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trailhead to the Interstate 787 Frontage Road. At Church Street, the protected trail continues underneath Interstate 787 for a walk or ride all the way to the Mohawk Hudson Hike-Bike Trail connection. The South End Connector also provides traffic calming measures along South Pearl Street, slowing traffic and creating a direct route for the residents of the South End to access Corning Waterfront Park.
The South End Connector is also a part of the Empire State Trail. When completed by the end of 2020, the Empire State Trail will be a continuous 750-mile route spanning the state from New York City to Canada and Buffalo to Albany, creating the longest multi-use state trail in the nation.
South End Connector Phase Two Launched
Phase Two of the project seeks to activate the space underneath Interstate 787. The City’s Department of Planning & Development and consultants Creighton Manning and Landing Studio will be conducting outreach to the public in the fall of 2020, finalizing a design over the winter, and planning construction in 2021. The City hopes residents and visitors will use their imaginations to propose ideas for making this area more attractive and for amenities that would make their experience more enjoyable.
Partnerships and Funding
The City of Albany would like to thank the many project partners who helped bring this trail from Feasibility Study through Construction. The South End Connector is a model example of how Governor Cuomo’s Consolidated Funding Application can be leveraged to create State and Local partnerships that result in high quality infrastructure that increases our residents’ quality of life. This project was made possible through funding from the Capital District Transportation Committee, New York State Department of State, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Assemblymember John McDonald, and New York State Assemblymember Patricia Fahy.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “When we started this project, I asked that we explore all the potential of this important bike and pedestrian connector – and this project has done just that. We’ve created the City’s first physically separated two-way cycle trail – a corridor that will make it safer and more environmentally friendly for residents and visitors alike to travel between Albany’s South End and Corning Preserve. Thank you to each of the state and local partners, including area residents, who have come together to plan and deliver this important addition to our City. I very much look forward to working with South End residents and others in the region on Phase II.”
New York State Senator Neil Breslin said, “The South End Connector bike trail will increase access to green space, reduce pollution and enhance the South End neighborhood. I applaud the City of Albany, Assemblymembers Pat Fahy and John McDonald and their many partners for an initiative that promotes outdoor activities and connects our communities.”
New York State Assemblymember John McDonald said, “The completion of Phase One of the South End Connector provides a guide toward creating a more accessible city that can be enjoyed by residents in this region and throughout the State. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this two-way cycle track to explore our communities. I am happy to have been able to dedicate funding to this project and I look forward to the competition of Phase Two in the near future!”
New York State Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said, “Capital Region residents and visitors alike will now have the opportunity to utilize what is now a 32-mile paved and uninterrupted bike-hike path. I am proud to have helped secure state funding for the South End Connector project, which will help to drive increased foot traffic and mobility in and around downtown Albany and our waterfront. Multi-use trails drive consumers to our locally owned small businesses, produce multiplier effects for the communities they run through, and ultimately help encourage alternative modes of transportation – helping to reduce our collective carbon footprint. Moreover, I am pleased this long-identified gap in our regional trail system has finally been closed – priming it for the completion of the Empire State Trail slated for this year.”
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “DEC’s Climate Smart Communities Grant Program is making significant investments statewide to help local governments join New York's nation-leading efforts to fight climate change and build healthy, resilient, and equitable communities. DEC is proud to be a contributing partner in the City of Albany’s new connector trail, a project that helps advance multiple goals by reducing greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions and increasing public access to green space for the South End community.”
New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, “The Department of State is proud to support the completion of the South End Connector Trail in the City of Albany through the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. In the current pandemic, we’ve seen the critical role parks, trails, and open spaces play in overcoming social isolation and bringing people together outdoors at a safe distance. The South End Connector Trail is an integral link to the Empire State Trail, which is connecting New Yorkers and enhancing outdoor recreation and community vitality across the state.”
Capital District Transportation Committee Executive Director Michael Franchini said, “It is extremely rare to see a transportation planning study implemented so quickly. This CDTC study, which was sponsored by the City of Albany, was completed in December 2017. In that short 2 ½ year period funding was obtained, and design and construction was completed. It is a real tribute to all the stakeholders, including the City, New York State, and the neighborhood; and to their incredible cooperation.”
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