Construction on a new 2 1/2-mile Heritage Trail segment on the abandoned railroad bed along the east side of Mohagen Avenue in the city of Middletown is planned for next year.
The new segment will start at West Main Street near the Salvation Army and go westward shortly before turning northward until it reaches Ingrassia Road.
Currently in the design phase, the project is planned to go out to bid by the end of the year, with construction to commence in 2025, Orange County Parks Commissioner Travis Ewald said at a public information session about the new segment in Middletown on April 17.
The cost for the segment is estimated to be $3 million, with 80 percent of it covered by federal grants, as was the case for most finished segments within the popular county trail system.
First built in the 1990s, the Heritage Trail was extended a few times to connect Harriman and Goshen, and several years ago, under County Executive Steve Neuhaus, it first made its way into the city of Middletown, stopping just east of downtown at East Main Street.
“When businesses and families look to relocate, quality of life is a top priority,” Mr. Neuhaus told The Epoch Times. “[The Heritage Trail] displays just some of what makes Orange County such a beautiful place to live, play, and work.”
Middletown residents Andy and Mary Warren, who often drive to use the Heritage Trail at East Main Street, were happy about the new segment reaching Ingrassia Road, near where they live.
“We have been waiting for it for so many years,” Mr. Warren told The Epoch Times at the public information session. “It is just wonderful.”
Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano, who has been a strong advocate for trail development, welcomed the new 2 1/2-mile segment west of downtown and said he hopes the long-planned downtown section would also move forward next year.
“I think it is all going to happen in 2025,” he told The Epoch Times on April 22.
The downtown spur, when completed, will connect the existing Middletown trail at East Main Street with the new segment at West Main Street and bring bikers and walkers into the center of the city for dining, shopping, and entertaining, according to Mr. DeStefano.
Middletown has invested in various parts along the future downtown trail in the past few years, including the Erie Way Park and Jerry’s Park, much of it with the help of state grants.
Businesses such as Oak & Reed and Clemons Bros. Brewery also moved into spots along the downtown spur in anticipation of growing traffic.
Another ongoing major trail project for the county is the planned 10-mile Shunnemunk Trail that runs from Chester to Salisbury Mills with a total price tag of about $18 million.
The trail is expected to be connected to the Heritage Trail system in the future.
Last year, Orange County added to its comprehensive plan a bikeway chapter, which contains a plan for a 65-mile bikeway throughout the county, connecting scenic destinations, town centers, and public transit stations.
