Support sought for state trail network
ALBANY, N.Y. >> Outdoor enthusiasts from across New York gathered Monday in Albany to seek funding for a growing, statewide multi-use trails network.
Trails Advocacy Day was organized by the non-profit group Parks & Trails New York to seek support for such projects in the state budget.
With the massive Empire State Trail project approaching completion in 2020, advocates outlined the “Trails Across New York” agenda, including steps needed to fully connect the state’s network.
Specifically, advocates are seeking legislation to create a comprehensive trails planning process and funding to extend access to the Empire State Trail to many more people with a Long Island extension.
Trail groups also called for more regional and local trail projects, and support for legislation to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety on roads and trails by closing a loophole in the state’s Complete Streets law.
Slated for completion in 2020, the Empire State Trail will consist of 750 miles of off-road trail and safe on-road connections. This initiative will secure New York’s place as a destination for outdoor recreation and heritage tourism, and contribute substantially to New York’s economy.
The Erie Canalway Trail, a main component of the Empire State Trail, already generates an estimated $253 million in annual economic impact and supports 3,400 jobs across Upstate New York.
At more than twice the length of the Erie trail, the Empire State Trail is projected to have a significantly larger economic impact. Extending this trail to millions of Long Island residents is expected to increase these gains, as well as addressing a vital need for safe, off-road recreation and transportation options.
“The Empire State Trail will make New York a destination state for trails, but it’s just the beginning,” said Andrew Dupuy, of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the nation’s largest trails organization. “The Empire State Trail will serve as a spine to connect more communities to it and to connect those communities to each other, creating networks of trails and active transportation across the state that spur economic, tourism, environmental, and health benefits.”