KINGSTON, N.Y. - Ulster County Executive Mike Hein, Town of Wawarsing Supervisor Leonard Distel and Rondout Valley Business Association President Richard Travers today announced final approval of an easement from New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (“DOCCS”) to extend the O&W Rail Trail in the Town of Wawarsing.  County Executive Hein thanked Governor Andrew Cuomo, Office of General Service Commissioner RoAnn Destito, and DOCCS Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci for working with the County and Town to finalize the 1.46 mile permanent rail trail easement near the Eastern Correctional Facility and Ulster Correctional Facility in Napanoch.

In a 2010 letter written by Richard Travers in his capacity as the Chairman of the Rondout Valley Rail Trail Initiative, a coalition including the Towns of Marbletown, Rochester, Rosendale, Wawarsing and the Village of Ellenville, the request was made to utilize the existing rail trail at Eastern Correctional Facility.  The trail extension in Napanoch has had strong community and business support since that time. In 2012, County Executive Hein began negotiations regarding the easement with DOCCS due to the importance of the trail easement within the county’s interconnected trail system.  At the direction of the County Executive, the Ulster County Planning Department worked with the Town of Wawarsing and regional DOCCS officials to delineate, map and finalize the trail easement, which required review and approvals from numerous levels of State government, including the final approval just received from the New York State Office of General Services.  The Town hopes to move forward with improvements to the new rail trail segment later this year, which will include the installation of fencing and signage required in the easement agreement.

“We are grateful to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci and regional DOCCS officials for making possible this important connection in the County’s growing rail trail network,” said Ulster County Executive Mike Hein. “I look forward to continuing to partner with the Ulster County Legislature to achieve our goal of a world-class interconnected rail trail system throughout Ulster County and thank them for all of their continued efforts.  I also want to thank Richard Travers and the Rondout Valley Business Association for having the vision and understanding of the importance of this trail and for all of his dedicated work to bring us to this point, as well as officials in the Town of Wawarsing and members of the Rondout Valley Rail Trail Initiative.  My administration worked diligently to secure the trail easement in Napanoch that significantly advances us towards the goal of connecting Kingston to Ellenville through a pedestrian and bicycle trail running along the historic O&W Railroad/ D&H Canal corridor.  The County will be linking the existing O&W Rail Trail in Hurley to the City of Kingston, and this extension on the southern end of the O&W builds further momentum towards a fully connected trail system from Kingston to Ellenville.”

Town of Wawarsing Supervisor Leonard Distel stated, “This is a major step forward to complete our Rail Trail. The Supervisor and the Town of Wawarsing Town Board would like to thank the Honorable Anthony Annucci, Acting Commissioner of DOCCS for his efforts. We also want to thank Ulster County Executive Michael P. Hein and the Rail Trail Committee for their dedication and their assistance for the final approval through the Eastern Correctional Facility property.”

“The RVBA is thrilled that the process that began on August 17, 2010 with a letter to the Department of Corrections, based upon an inter-municipal agreement between the Towns of Marbletown, Rochester, Rosendale, Wawarsing and the Village of Ellenville has, with the unwavering support of the Hein Administration, resulted in the NYS DOC giving an Easement to the Town of Wawarsing allowing the Public to utilize the rail trail,” said Richard Travers, President of the Rondout Valley Business Association and Chairman of the Rondout Valley Rail Trail Initiative.

The new trail easement begins near the Unity Hall building on Berme Road in Napanoch.  The trail winds southwest along Berme Road and the Rondout Creek to the border of the Village of Ellenville.  The easement for a crushed stone recreational trail is 20 feet in width to allow for the trail, buffer areas, fencing, and shoulders.