Feiner: South County Trail Project Moves Forward

A missing component linking the South County Trail between Greenburgh and Elmsford is finally slated to be completed, according to Town Supervisor Paul Feiner.

Below is a portions of a message from Feiner about the project:

FINALLY—PROGRESS BEING MADE TO COMPLETE MISSING LINK AT SOUTH COUNTY TRAIL BETWEEN WAREHOUSE LANE AND MAIN STREET IN ELMSFORD! BICYCLISTS, RUNNERS AND PEDESTRIANS WILL BE HAPPY

Great news. If you enjoy bicycling, walking you probably love the South County trail. The south county trail used to be the old Putnam Railroad and has been converted into a pathway. Many cyclists, runners, walkers enjoy the path. Many have complained (for years) –there has been a missing link between warehouse Lane to Main Street in Elmsford. I received the following e mail from the NYS DEC yesterday advising that the county has proposed an 8 foot wide 3,300 long asphalt pathway from Warehouse Lane in the town of Greenburgh to main Street in Elmsford

The South County Trailway is a paved bicycle and pedestrian path located primarily on right-of-way lands of the former Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad. The “Old Put,” as it was fondly referred to by commuters, provided freight and passenger service from 1881 to 1958 between the Bronx and Putnam County. Freight service continued to operate sporadically from Elmsford south, with the last freight train making its final run in August 1982.

The Putnam Railway once served 23 stations in Westchester, some of which still stand today. The former Elmsford station is the only remaining station structure along the South County Trailway. It now houses a restaurant. Historic markers have been placed at most of the former station locations.

The Putnam Right-of-Way spans 36.2 linear miles through Westchester County, of which 14.1 miles comprise the South County Trailway, from Eastview south to the New York City border. The remaining 22.1 miles, north of Eastview to Putnam County, is developed as the North County Trailway.

The South County Trailway is one element of the county’s extensive trail system that also includes the Bronx River Pathway, Briarcliff-Peekskill Trailway, and many other planned paths and bike routes along the county’s roadways.

I received the following from the NYS DEC:

Dear Supervisor:

September 2, 2014

The enclosed copy of a Notice of Complete Application is being provided to inform the public officials of your community of the submission of an application for Departmental permit.

It would be most appreciated if a copy could also be posted in a public building where other interested persons in your community might also see it and have an opportunity to provide us with their comments.

Further information can be obtained from the Department representative named below.

enc.

JosephRMurphy

Division of Environmental Permits

Region 3

845-256- 3040

Project Description:

Westchester County proposes to construct an 8-foot wide 3,300-foot long asphalt pathway from Warehouse Lane in the Town of Greenburgh to Main Street in the Village ofElmford linking existing segments of the South County Trailway. A portion of the proposed pathway will be constructed along 2,000 linear feet (LF) of the western edge of the Saw Mill River [Water Index# H-4, Class B(T). As part of this project, the bank of the Saw Mill River will be stabilized by the installation of boulders (500 LF), stone rip rap revetment (100 LF), crushed stone (100 LF), and coir logs (1100 LF).

Photo: North and South County Trail. Photo credit: Flickr user Seth Holladay