On January 30th, the Ulster & Delaware Corridor Advisory Committee invited Karl Beard to provide a presentation about the design and construction of shared-use trails (aka rail trails). As the committee explores options for the undesignated section, it is keen to understand what a trail extension really means in terms of design and construction, especially in a section of the corridor that has numerous physical and environmental constraints.
Karl is a member of the Ulster County Trails Advisory Committee, and for many years was a trail planner for the National Park Service, based in Hyde Park. Over the years, he has been involved in numerous trail projects across the nation, including several closer to home in NYS.
The key takeaway from Karl’s presentation is this: the U&D Corridor, especially in the undesignated section, would require substantial modifications and investments in order to accommodate both rail and trail. Any proposal that suggests otherwise is likely not adhering to well-established standards that ensure the trail is safe and accessible to all users.
