Black Bridge Trail project continues
GREEN ISLAND, N.Y. » Village officials said they are hopeful the Black Bridge Trail project improvements will be completed in the coming months.
Crews from HMA Contracting began construction work late last year to extend the trail past a renovated rail bridge near Cannon Street that opened two years ago as part of a trail system that connects to the northern section of the Mohawk Hudson River Bikeway.
The trail stops at the Green Island end of the bridge, however, so crews will create a 900foot extension to the trail to replace the rutted, unpaved sur- face that is usable but does not include needed amenities and safety features.
The village received five construction bids for the project last year, and the lowest bidder for the project at $379,877 was awarded to HMA Contracting. Last year village officials also approved Barton & Loguidice as the lead project designer.
The project will also include creation of a designated parking area, as well as installation of a trailhead, informational and historical kiosks, benches, security cameras, lighting and bicycle racks, as well as a scenic overlook.
Sean Ward, Executive Assistant to Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty-Ryan, said officials have not set an exact grand opening date, but that they expect it to take place sometime in May. “We never really closed the trail [during the project], we just don’t
promise that the snow is going to be removed from it because it’s not really a top priority [right now],” explained Ward during the week.
Ward said that crew workers still have to finish completing some of the proposed amenities and that they also need to finish some work on the overlooks of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers.
Ward said that he is also excited about the views people will have while at the trail. Village officials said the trail will be a multi-purpose bicycle and pedestrian trail and it will be open to the public. The village also received a grant from Albany County Soil and Water Conservation District for pet waste receptacles.
“So the infrastructure is really in place and now it’s the amenities that still have to be done, but as soon as the weather breaks they’ll start doing that,” said Ward.
Last year, Ward said the budget for the trail project is currently $512,000, with $483,380 coming from various federal and state grant programs. The village is expected to cover the remaining shares.