Portion of Hyde Park Trail is being temporarily closed

[GoneToTheDogs?]

Received today (March 17) from NPS. Liaison will try to get details.

(The announcement below was recently released to the media.)

The portion of the Hyde Park Trail between the Home of Franklin D.
Roosevelt National Historic Site and Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic
Site between Routes 9 and 9G is being temporarily closed effective March
23, 2008.

The trail will be undergoing rehabilitation work expected to be completed
in October 2008.

This work will include grading, resurfacing, a new bridge over the Maritje
Kill, redesign of the Route 9 parking lot, and the creation of a new 8-car
parking lot near Route 9G.

When rehabilitation work is complete the trail will re-open to hikers and
bicyclists. However, while the construction contract is in effect the site
will be closed to the public.

Thank you for your patience as we improve the park facilities.

For information contact the National Park Service at 845-229-1521.

[cfury]

The section that will be closed is shaded in red.

[BillB3]

NPS response to my question...

Does this include all trails in this property or just the main road?

[Forest_biker]

It really takes 7 months to grade a dirt road and build a bridge and a new parking lot on 9G?

I can't believe they would close the whole area because of fixing one trail.

[g60dude]

That does seem like a long time for what they are saying they plan on doing. I remember years back going up to Minnewaska in the spring time and every year it seemed they regraded most of the carriage trails with new crushed stone. Figure they did them all within a month.

With the amount of time they are talking, has there been any word that this resurfacing plan involves asphalt?
_________________
greg

[Tim845]

The Parks Service told us only a hill section would be paved to allow the tram to easier climb it.

The idea of opening both sides to bikes is great -the jeep trail down to the river is an excellent trip. There's no singletrack there though. There is room.

Maybe my priorities are , but this weeks news is more than last weeks
_________________
Pedal, b*tches!!

[Forest_biker]

I have a few questions.

Does anyone know what is going on with Hyde Park?

Near the Brewery I believe the sign said (not 100% sure) that all the trails were ungoing restoration/maintence/rest.

That's funny, who's doing all this work?

I'm particularly amazed that we did trail creation and reclamation there, and didn't have to shut down the entire place for the day.

Would it be possible to gain a permit to ride there during this closed period if we sign a waiver to protect them if we happen to get hurt by products of their restoration efforts?

Do we have any sort of current talk going on with the park service?

Since it is tax time and I'm currently adding to the support of the park service, what can I do to let them know that this land and custodians of it are technically being supported by us, and how can I make an appeal to use the park while a single trail and one parking lot are being worked on?

[jamesframes]

chill-lax bra...

[GoneToTheDogs?]

Technically, the only official trails at the site are the main route through, the Hyde Park Trail and the section where the IMBA crew designed the trail last year. So yes, technically speaking...all the trails are being worked on. The property was secured a few years back by Scenic Hudson and conveyed to NPS for the purpose of putting a road through to shuttle tourists from FDR to Valkill. The other trails are not authorized, but in good faith, we have been allowed to use them untill this closure for the road project. We anticipate that there will be a process with public comment at some point in the future to work with NPS on creating new trails and recognizing existing trails. NPS invited IMBA to assess the property for bike trails and received positive feedback, but it is a process. NPS has been supportive and has been developing an inventory of the unauthorized trails, which hopefully will be made official in the future.

Frank is in communication with NPS about the property, so will wait for him to give updates.

[Forest_biker]

So if I've got this right, the IMBA trail, as the second official trail, is floating out there in the woods disconnected from the other official trail.

How does one access it officially?


You've just gotta love the government.

[GoneToTheDogs?]