Adirondack Rail Trail plan takes big step forward
A 34-mile section of travel corridor transferred to DEC
The transfer of a 34mile section of an Adirondacks rail bed from one state agency to another is being heralded as the start of a major phase to convert it into a recreational pathway.
The portion of the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor — the future Adirondack Rail Trail between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid — was transferred from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Environmental Conservation, marking the official start of a design and construction phase for development into a trail for hikers, bikers, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.
Starting in October 2020, DOT worked to remove rails from the Tupper Lake to Lake Placid segment of the corridor, leading to last week’s transfer of jurisdiction. DEC will manage public safety and recreational activities, as well as maintenance, on the segment.
According to the DEC, the first of the three stages — Lake Placid to Saranac Lake — is scheduled to open September 2023.
The complete trail is expected to be open in 2025. The projected cost is $22.9 million, which will likely be adjusted as design details and contracted costs are finalized for parking lots; snowmobile, pedestrian and bicycle pull-offs; retaining walls; storm water measures; wetland mitigation; signage; and other specifics, the agency said Friday.
The state Office of General Services is leading the trail's design and construction with the intent to make it accessible by people of all abilities as mush as possible.
Limited public recreation during trail construction will be allowed:
■ With the exception of snowmobiles and class-1 E bikes, all motor vehicles are prohibited. DEC will enforce this prohibition with gates, bollards and law enforcement patrol and checkpoints.
■ Winter recreation including snowmobiling, cross country skiing, fat tire biking, and snowshoeing
will be permitted.
■ Pedestrian (non-motorized) and bicycling (including with class 1 electric bikes) will be the only non-winter uses permitted.
■ Users should always practice Leave No Trace principles while recreating by carrying out what you carry in, being prepared for the risks and challenges of the unimproved corridor and varied rail bed surface, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other users and adjacent private property. For more information, visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/ outdoor/28708.html.