(rshsdepot) Maybrook Corridor Meeting

["Bernard Rudberg" <Bernie_Rudberg_@_prodigy.net>]

Maybrook Corridor Meeting

I went to the meeting on 26 June. The basic idea is that the NYSDOT hired a
consultant firm to study all possible uses of the old Maybrook line through
Orange, Ulster and Dutchess Counties in NY state including the big bridge.
They looked at everything from full rail restoration to light rail, highway,
rail trail and no development at all. They also did ballpark estimates on
costs for each alternative. This meeting was to accept public comment as
input before the final report is written.

Cost estimates ran from over 50 million for full rail down to 27 million for
a rail trail just for the bridge restoration. The railroads responded that
they would be happy to run trains over the bridge if somebody else would pay
for fixing it. It looks like that option is out.

The most likely use is to make the bridge into a hiking and biking trail and
connect it to rail trails on both sides of the river. There are several
reasons which make this the most likely outcome.
1. Walkway Over the Hudson already owns the bridge and they have completed
part of the walkway.
2. Railroads don't want to pay for any rail use. Heavy rail use would
require millions in bridge reconstruction.
3. There is little or no demand for any light rail service.
4. A highway bridge serves the traffic just south of the RR bridge.
5. On the west side of the river, the ROW has been sold off in sections and
some of it has already been built over.
6. Dutchess County owns the ROW on the east side and plans to use it as a
utility corridor and a rail trail. Water line construction is scheduled to
start shortly.

The final version of this report is due out by next month. If you want a
copy or more information you can contact the project manager.

Russell W. Robbins
NYSDOT
4 Burnett Blvd., room 239A
Poughkeepsie NY, 12603
phone (845) 431-5978 fax (845) 431-7923
E-Mail
rrobbins_@_gw.dot.state.ny.us


B L Rudberg  Wappingers Falls  NY  USA


=================================
The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

------------------------------