Work to begin on Saranac Lake-Lake Placid section
By Mike Lynch
State and local leaders gathered on the Adirondack Rail Trail near North Country Community College in Saranac Lake Wednesday to celebrate the official beginning of the trail’s construction phase.
“Finally we are green-lit,” said state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos. “We’re ready to go on this construction project all the way from Lake Placid to Tupper.”
The Army Corp of Engineers awarded the final permits in October, he said.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
The 34-mile rail trail will go from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake and pass through Saranac Lake and Lake Clear. The year-round trail is being touted as a multi-use corridor that will have a hard-packed surface that doesn’t exceed a grade of 2%.
“These new surfaces will make for a true multi-use, year-round recreational trail that’s more accessible to wheelchairs, bicycles, strollers, in addition to the mountain bikers and the hikers and the snowmobile automobile that are currently using it,” said Office of General Services Commissioner Jeannette Moy.
RELATED: Rails and trail: Your questions answered
Moy said a $7.9 million contract has been awarded to Kubricky Construction of Saratoga Springs for the first phase.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
That phase includes completing the trail between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake by next fall. Crews will then continue toward Tupper Lake with the goal of finishing the $22 million project by 2025.
During the event, speakers touted the trail as an economic asset to local communities.
“Saranac Lake is surrounded by beautiful trails, but this one is different,” said Saranac Lake Mayor Jimmy Williams. “The rail trail will be a vein that channels tourism straight through our downtown, which is a big deal for a town like Saranac Lake.”
“The economic benefits of this cannot be overstated,” he said. “And whether you’re stopping to just get a bite to eat or have a drink, the 34-mile journey will be an introduction to our community for a lot of folks from New York state.”
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
Seggos noted that the groundbreaking has been a long time coming and that it came after many years of contentious debate over the proper use of the corridor that started more than a decade ago.
The corridor had previously been used by the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, a tourism train between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, until several years ago.
For years, railroad advocates debated with those in favor of the rail trail in letters to the editors and public forums. In one two-year stretch 200 letters to the editor were published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Seggos said. But ultimately, the state elected to go with the rail trail and developed a management plan with that in mind.
In the fall of 2020, the state Department of Transportation began to remove the rails. That process took about a year. Since then, some gravel for the base has been put down. Cyclists and walkers have used portions of the trail, but large sections of it have a gravel surface that is unsuitable for riding.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
Joe Mercurio, an ARTA board member, said he’s been lobbying for the trail for 12 years.
“I’m absolutely thrilled,” he said. “I haven’t put myself on a bike in several years, but I plan on getting on one come hell or high water when this thing gets finished and that will be great.”
As a nonprofit, we rely on the support of readers like you.
Join the community of people helping to power our independent, Adirondack-focused reporting.
LeRoy Hogan says
I thought Rail Explorers used that rail too until they got kicked out.
Dave says
It will be fun in the future to compare usage of this trail vice how many times a train runs between Utica & Tupper Lake or even Old Forge & Tupper Lake. How many times did it run this year? Once I believe! Are they going to beciome that grand passenger service they all harpped for, I doubt it! Be we’ll see who is surviving in 5 years & who continues to suck taxpayer money to survive.
Worth Gretter says
Typo:
“In the fall of 2022, the state Department of Transportation began to remove the rails. That process took about a year.”
So here we are in fall of 2023.
No-one told me!
Lisa sciacca says
Why are they working on 3 parking lots! Hope they do not pave them. I bike and see bike areas barely used. Best to complete the trail and see the actual use. Also, there are plenty of parking areas along the trail. Taking down trees and paving is not keeping athe Adirondacks forever wild.
Don Hibbs says
is the rail trail going to be paved, or just hard packed gravel.
Does anyone know ?
Mike Lynch says
The rail trail will have a stone dust surface on top of gravel.