Walkway Over the Hudson - Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge

[joshuahouse]

I am hoping to get over to Poughkeepsie on the tenth. Does anyone have suggestions for parking? I've not spent any time in Poughkeepsie so I'm uncertain of the lay of the land sort to speak. I can park on either side of the river since I will be returning to Bath the same day.

[Bernard Rudberg]

There is actually more parking room on the west side of the river in Highland. On the east side the lot is in the City of Poughkeepsie.

When you enter from the Highland side you are also much closer to the river. From the Pok side you have to walk half a mile to get out over the river.

Bernie

[Bernard Rudberg]

There is actually more parking room on the west side of the river in Highland. On the east side the lot is in the City of Poughkeepsie.

When you enter from the Highland side you are also much closer to the river. From the Pok side you have to walk half a mile to get out over the river.

Bernie

[RussNelson]

There's not much parking in the official lot on the Pok side, but there's lots of on-street parking if you're willing to walk .... a ways. I haven't been over to the parking lot on the Highland side, but I speculate that once it's full, it's full and there's no parking anywhere near. On the other hand, it's a bigger lot.

[nysw3636]

The parking lot just south of the Highland side entrance is off limits right not. Only parking available is along Haviland Road right now. This is due to dirt being dumped there from the rail trail expansion going on. The dirt is coming from Mile Hill Road, which is where a new bridge will be constructed. Once this project is finished, the parking lot will be reopened.

[Spro]

On the Poughkeepsie side, the Pougkeepsie Journal reported on 4/28 that the City of Poughkeepsie is leasing a former diner parking lot on Parker ave,

"With the state preparing to implement parking fees for drivers visiting the Walkway Over the Hudson, free spaces could be available next week on the City of Poughkeepsie side of the span."

But for now, the Highland side has more parking. Pretty much the entire length of the north side of Havailand can be used for parking.

And the debris from Mile Hill road, that is the CNE concrete bridge that was filled in, and the 2 CNE concrete bridges on New Paltz road will be gone this year too, the Eastern one is all ready down, and Ulster county will replace the other one on the western end by Tony Williams park by mid summer. Get you photos now! The center lanes on 9W where it crosses the former Maybrook in Highland is also a CNE concrete arch Bridge.

[RussNelson]

So, my question is: are they going to replace the bridge at Milton Avenue? And will there be a tunnel underneath 9W, or is there one there already? And are they going to put back the bridge at S. Riverside Road / Black Creek Road / County Road 15 or whatever it's really called?

Are the plans for this extension published anywhere?

[alewifebp]

Depending on the day, parking can be very problematic. I had parked in Highland, and the entire Haviland Road was occupied, and there were major delays trying to leave. I ended up parking in a lot all the way up at 9W.

[Spro]

Russ, the answers to those questions are as follows....

By Milton Ave, I think you mean Vineyard Ave, which is also US44/NY55, yes, the footings are in place and a pre-fab bridge will be put over the roadway.

There is an existing bridge which 9W passes over the ROW. The center of that span is a CNE built concrete arch, and the outer lanes are pre-stressed slabs. There will be a ramp from the west side of 9W down to the trail from there.

At South Riverside at Tony Williams park, I can't answer that, I know it has come up and believe or not it is on the state DOT's wish list to restore that. The other bridge which crosses the empty ROW right now is being replaced later this year, so they are serious about extending the west end of the trail. Currently the trail is closed in the middle for the bridge project.

You can visit the Hudson Valley rail trails web site, they do talk about the Eastern extension, http://www.hudsonvalleyrailtrail.net/

And in other local rail trail news, last year the 11 miles of the Wallkill valley passed into the hands of the Wallkill Valley land trust with the intention of extending the Wallkill valley rail trail from Rosendale to Kingston.

And to stay on topic, the parking is much better, the crowds have left, that is not to say the weekend is not busy on the bridge, but the insanity has quieted down.

[Steve F45]

on 1010wins.com they have an article about the state charge $5 for parking to goto the walkway over the hudson.

[nysw3636]

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps ... 0107130327

Poughkeepsie urges free parking at Walkway; state says no
Michael Valkys • Poughkeepsie Journal • July 13, 2010
An official says the state has no plans to rescind the $5 parking fee at Walkway Over the Hudson lots — despite a request from City of Poughkeepsie leaders to do so. On Monday night at City Hall, the Common Council approved a resolution asking state officials to remove the fee, which went into effect last month. "It's an additional burden that our taxpayers have to bear," said Mayor John Tkazyik, adding that the fee is most harmful to local residents who use the pedestrian span on a regular basis. The mayor called such state fees a "noose around the neck of the taxpayers." The Walkway is operated by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The $5 fee is charged in lots operated by the state.

[joshuahouse]

Not unreasonable. Most state parks are about that.

[nysw3636]

The pedestrian bridge over Vineyard Avenue (RT 44/55) is has been put in.

[Otto Vondrak]

on 1010wins.com they have an article about the state charge $5 for parking to goto the walkway over the hudson.

Link? Quote of story??

[AJLUZI]

I am very familiar with the Highland side since I walk it every day. The state is charging 5 for parking for four hours in their lot, but this is really silly because the lot holds about 10 regular spaces and about 6 handicap spaces. There is tons of parking on the adjacent street that is free, hence the state parking lot is empty most of the time. Additionally, I have heard that the town of Lloyd (Highland) is building a 100 car parking lot close to the entrance of the bridge that I believe will be free. I cannot comment about the parking on the POK side