Walkway Over the Hudson to Get Better Visitor Services

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has purchased a half-acre parcel next to the Poughkeepsie entrance of the Walkway Over the Hudson State Park for growing room to improve visitor services at the wildly popular 1.28-mile linear park that’s just a short trip from Putnam, Rockland and Westchester.

State Parks purchased the parcel for $550,000 with funds from the Environmental Protection Fund.

Since the park opened in 2009, more than 3 million visitors have strolled, cycled, hiked, jogged, and roller-bladed over the Walkway’s steel trusses. The park now has portable restrooms at the Poughkeepsie entrance and its office is in a construction trailer on the west bank.

“The parcel gives State Parks more room and flexibility to improve visitor services and public access to the eastern side of the park,” said State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey. “We are grateful to the Open Space Institute for its assistance in securing this important connection to the community.”

“Spurring the expansion of Walkway into the heart of Poughkeepsie perfectly captures the role that OSI plays for New York’s state parks,” said Kim Elliman, President and CEO of the Open Space Institute, which sold the warehouse parcel to the state.

The parcel at the intersection of Washington Street and Parker Avenue includes a vacant 7,500-square-foot warehouse and manufacturing building as well as an adjacent empty lot. OSI purchased the property from a private owner last summer with the goal of conveying it to State Parks. The strategically located parcel had been a high priority for inclusion in the park.

“The Walkway organization is grateful to the Open Space Institute and New York State Parks for this visionary investment in the development and improvement of Walkway Over the Hudson State Park,” said Elizabeth Waldstein-Hart, Executive Director of Walkway Over the Hudson. “On this strategically located property in the City of Poughkeepsie, we can build much-needed amenities to appropriately serve the park’s nearly half-million annual visitors. Our organization continues to work hard to raise the funding and awareness necessary to make these important projects come to fruition. Strong, productive partnerships continue to be the hallmark of success at the Walkway Over the Hudson.”

The Walkway Over the Hudson provides access to the Hudson River’s breathtaking landscape for pedestrians, hikers, joggers, bicyclists and people with disabilities. The bridge deck stands 212 feet above the river’s surface and is 6,768 feet (1.28 miles) long, making it the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world.

State Parks will conduct a feasibility study to determine potential uses for the site, including park offices, public restrooms, streetscape improvements and equipment storage.

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