Those of you who bike on the section of the Mohawk Hudson Bike-Hike Trail north of the Corning Preserve can not help but notice the poor condition of the bike trail. This is a dangerous situation and must be repaired before someone is seriously injured. I have discussed this issue with the Commissioner of the County Department of Public Works ( DPW) and her staff, but to no avail. I was given assurances last spring / summer that this section would skim coated ( not sure what this means) . I was also told that removing the trees which are causing the root problem would not be popular. This is a poor excuse. After not getting it done, I was told by the DPW Commissioner, that the County is only responsible for cutting the grass and trash removal along the trail. But that actual maintenance of the trail surface is the responsibility of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) . I contacted the Commissioner of OPRHP, who referred my correspondence to Andy Beers, the Director of the Empire State Trail. Mr. Beers advised me that OPRHP has no involvement in this trail section. Mr. Beers further stated that even though the MHBHT Trail north of the Corning Preserve is largely on land owned by NYSDOT (part of the larger I-787 corridor), the County is responsible maintaining this section of trail. This is incredulous. From being told that the trail would be “shim coated,” to being informed it is not a County responsibility, to being directed to the wrong state agency is unacceptable.
Please take a minute and write a letter to the TIMES UNION at:
Mail:
Times Union
Box 15000
Albany, NY 12212
Email:
tuletters@timesunion .com
SAMPLE LETTER
I am writing to express my displeasure regarding the County’s maintenance of the Mohawk Hudson Bike-Hike Trail north of the Corning Preserve. Within the limits of the City of Albany, which is the stretch from the Corning Preserve to about the I-90 bridge, the trail is maintained by the City. North of the City line (roughly from the I-90 bridge to the trail terminus in Watervliet), the trail is maintained by Albany County. The section of the MHBHT between the Corning Preserve and Watervliet is experiencing significant tree root issues. This section is deteriorating and must be resurfaced. This is a dangerous situation and must be repaired before someone is seriously injured. Dan McCoy, the Albany County Executive must direct the County Department of Public Works staff to resurface this section of the bike trail.