FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2026
Kingston, NY – Today’s presentation from Barton & Loguidice to the Ulster County Legislature’s Housing & Transportation Committee confirms a long-standing reality: co-located rail-with-trail on the 1.67-mile undesignated section of the U&D corridor is not feasible. The B&L study, which was commissioned by the Legislature after a policy recommendation proposed in late 2025 by the Legislature’s U&D Corridor Advisory Committee failed to advance to a vote, provides the most detailed evidence yet of the extreme engineering and financial hurdles required to accommodate two uses in this narrow space.
The physical constraints—protected wetlands, high fills, deep rock cuts, and 50-foot cliffs—make widening the corridor cost-prohibitive. Proposals to “shoe-horn” both uses, including unrealistic boardwalk construction, are now proven to be impractical.
The County Legislature must now make the choice past policy avoided: should this section serve tourist rides or a multi-use active transportation pathway?
The evidence clearly supports a trail-only designation as the option providing the greatest public benefit.
Based on a 2023 study by Camoin Associates, a trail connection would boost annual spending by ART visitors to $24 million. It would also support healthy lifestyle choices for residents, enhance safety for cyclists and pedestrians by avoiding Route 28, and better protect surrounding habitats. This aligns with the County’s original vision of ensuring seamless trail connectivity from the Ashokan Rail Trail (ART) to Kingston.
We urge the Legislature to swiftly pass a policy consistent with Resolution 275 of 2025, extending the ART eastward to Route 28A, establishing a rail-trail interconnect, and preserving the CMRR’s permitted operations elsewhere. We stand ready to partner with the County to secure public and private funding to complete this vital connection.
###
