Rail Trail extension too costly for town


 

AMENIA — A long-planned extension for the Harlem Valley Rail Trail to the hamlet of Wassaic may not happen anytime soon due to rising construction costs.

In March, grant writer Michael Hagerty announced the town received a $7,500 grant from The Hudson River Valley Greenway to help pay for phase one of the proposed extension. Phase one is the planning stage of the project, which entails hiring an architect to develop a site plan. The extension would stretch from the Metro-North Railroad Station on Route 22 1 mile south into the center of Wassaic.

However, at Thursday’s Town Board meeting, town Supervisor Wayne Euvrard said the total estimated cost is $2,500,000, with a local match of $650,000 for the town.

"I think it’s an excellent idea to extend the Rail Trail, but I always thought Dutchess County Parks and Recreation has done the Rail Trail," Euvrard said. "At this point, with what the town has going on with other projects, it scares me to commit to $2,500,000 and show somewhere in our budget $650,000."

"We had to commit to providing the match, either in kind or by cash, and the reality is that it would be in cash unless you had volunteers that showed up [for work]," Councilwoman Vicki Doyle said. "But I think you’re right, we’re probably not in a position to take this on ourselves. The county should take the lead and we should do all the groundwork that we can to make it clear that it is a priority for Amenia. It’s a 20-percent cash match, but it’s probably the best you can get."

Tonya Shoumatoff of the Housatonic Valley Association, who helped the town create the request for qualifications (RFQ) for the project, told the board the project is important to Wassaic.

"I’m sure it would be a wonderful thing if we could get the trail to Wassaic," Shoumatoff said.

"Can you find me $650,000?" Euvrard asked. "People are struggling and residents will have trouble paying for home heating oil. I can’t ask them to come up with $650,000."

A discussion on the extension of the Rail Trail is scheduled for tonight’s Town Board business meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

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