Signs will help visitors find their way around

ROSENDALE >> The town seek bids for signs to direct visitors at popular recreation spots to the business district.

The funding will come from a $10,000 grant from Hudson River Valley Greenway.

“That will basically implement phase one of our way funding plan,” Councilwoman Jennifer Metzger said at a Town Board meeting Wednesday.

“That signage is going to help tremendously,” she said. “Part of the signage is going to be on the rail trail itself, directing people into town to the many amenities we have here that they can’t see from the rail trail, but we would love if they knew about it. So it’s going to help local businesses a lot.”

Metzger said there also will be some highway signs to provide directions to the popular rail trestle section of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.

“The other signage need that’s being addressed is directing people traveling here by car, trying to access the trestle and trail, where they should park because that’s caused huge problems,” she said.

Metzger said the Wallkill Valley Land Trust and Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Association will contribute some of the matching funds necessary for the grant.

Rosendale Supervisor Jeanne Walsh said some of the contribution can be in services provided by the town.

“We had some pricing, but we think that we can probably do better,” she said. “Some of it we can do in-house, so maybe our staff can do the work to match the funds.”

The town’s 61-page “Circulation and Wayfinding Plan” was adopted last year as part of an effort to improve traffic along state Route 32 and on Main Street/state Route 213. Town officials developed the project to encourage pedestrian and bicycle activity, with an emphasis on creating a complementary relationship between recreation facilities and commercial activity.

A copy of the plan is available on the Ulster County Planning Department website, at bit.ly/2fA1jTB