Kingston Greenline & Ulster County Trails Summit - Summit Presentation

Welcome and Sign-In
 We will begin at 9:30 sharp!
 Please sign-in at the table in the back of the
room
 Emergency exits are indicated by lighted exit
signs
 Refreshments in the conference room outside the
door to your right – do not bring into chambers
 Please silence your cell phones
 Wifi password is cityhall2001
Kingston Greenline & Ulster County Trails Summit1

Trail image here
The Kingston
Greenline & Ulster
County Trails Summit
July 20, 2013
Kingston City Hall
Made possible by a Land Trust
Alliance Conservation
Partnership Catalyst Grant
The Kingston Land Trust presents:

Join us in thanking our funders
Part 1: Intro
Conservation Partnership Catalyst Grant
Funded through the Environmental Protection Fund

Our agenda
Part 1: Introductions from the City of Kingston and Ulster County
Part 2: Keynote Presentation by Jeff Olson
Part 3: Presentation of KPRT Engineering Study
Part 4: Panel Presentation and Q&A
Part 5: Wrap-Up and Call to Action
Part 6: Networking and Discussion

Welcome and introductions
 Gregg Swanzey, Chair of the Kingston
Land Trust’s Rail Trail Committee
 Mayor Shayne Gallo, City of Kingston
 Chris White, Deputy Planning
Director, Ulster County Planning
Part 1: Intro

Building more vibrant
communities through mobility
 Jeff Olson is the author of The
Third Mode: Towards a Green
Society and a principal with the
award-winning firm Alta Planning
+ Design
 The Third Mode explores how
non-motorized mobility can lead
to a more
connected, healthy, and
sustainable way of living
Part 2: Keynote

A glimpse at Kingston’s future
trail network: the KPRT
 The Kingston Point Rail Trail (KPRT) is
proposed for the city-owned stretch of
the former U&D, from midtown to the
Rondout
 Alta Planning +
Design was
hired to study
the trail’s
feasibility
 Lindsay Zefting
was the lead
planner/
engineer with
Alta
Part 3: KPRT Study

Coffee Break!
Grab some refreshments, stop by some tables, but
come back in 10 minutes!
This way!
Up Next: Panel Presentation

Building the ―Hub and Spokes‖
of Ulster County’s Trail Network
Part 4: Panel Presentation
Tim Weidemann
Kingston Land Trust
The Kingston
Greenline: A
City-Wide
Vision
Chris White
Ulster County Planning
Ulster County
Trails: A
County-Wide
Vision
Plugging Into
the Hudson
River Valley’s
Trail Network
Beth Campochiaro
Scott Keller
Hudson River Valley Greenway
Building and
Advocating for
a Statewide
Network
Martin Daley
Parks & Trails NY

Introducing the Kingston
Greenline
 An urban trail system, comprising
linear parks, bike-ways and
complete streets
 Serves as a non-
motorized, accessible alternative
for residents’ enhanced mobility
 Acts as the ―hub‖ for Ulster
County’s trail network, linking
trails and providing tourism-
supporting amenities
Urban trail image
Part 4: Kingston Land Trust
“NY Builds On Its
Assets by Turning
Trails into Trail
Systems”

2013 (so far!)
TMNY relinquishes portion of
lease for 40 years. Clean-ups
recommence
LTA grant funds survey of KPRT
KLT establishes “Greenline” brand
with funding from PTNY
Feasibility study completed
2013: The Tipping Point?
2012
Clean-ups cancelled due to
liability concerns by TMNY
KLT receives funding from
City, Greenway for KPRT study
KPRT feasibility study begins
2010 - 2011
KLT Rail Trail Connection Project
begins, committee forms. KPRT
identified as priority trail.

“We have a unique opportunity to create a world-class
tourism destination, directly impact public health, and
improve the overall quality of life in our region.”
-Ulster County Executive Mike Hein
Part 4: Ulster County Planning

The growing importance of
regional trails
• Walkway over the Hudson (opened 2009) attracted
more than 780,000 visitors in first year and
now adds more than $24 million annual sales.
• Hudson Valley Rail Trail (Highland/Lloyd) receives
670,000 visitors annually and has become New
York State’s second-most-popular rail trail.
• Hurley (D&H/O&W) Rail Trail receives estimated
81,000 visitors each year.
• Wallkill Valley Rail Trail will soon extend more than 33
miles from Gardiner to Kingston now that the
Rosendale Trestle is open.
• Catskill Mountain Rail Trail is projected to attract
140,000 annual users and add $3.1 million in annual
U.C. sales (2013 Economic Impact Analysis)
Hudson Valley Rail Trail
Rosendale Trestle

The Ulster
County trail
network
Catskill Mountain Rail Trail
D&H Heritage Trail/
O&W (Hurley) Rail Trail Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
Hudson Valley Rail Trail/
Walkway Over the
Hudson

―Catskill Mountain Rail Trail‖
 Connect Kingston neighborhoods to Catskill Park
& Ashokan Reservoir
 Expand tourism business in Ulster County and
Hudson Valley region
 Increase outdoor recreation opportunities and
promote healthy lifestyles
 Provide “car-free” transportation options
 Create links to the Hurley/ O&W Rail Trail &
Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
Project Vision:
A public multi-use recreational trail from the City of
Kingston to and along the Ashokan Reservoir that
will link the Walkway over the Hudson to the
Catskill Park and create a world-class tourism
destination.
Ashokan Reservoir
Walkway over the Hudson

Accessible to persons with disabilities and the elderly
Open to public use four seasons / 365 days a year
Providing a beautiful and safe linear park for hikers, dog
walkers, bicyclists, and all who seek to enjoy the outdoors
Connecting urban neighborhoods with open spaces
Creating a ―Rail Trail Hub‖ In Kingston
―Catskill Mountain Rail Trail‖

 The Greenway Act of 1991 calls for the
creation and designation of a Hudson
River Trail from the Capital District to
NYC on both sides of the Hudson
River.
 The Greenway Trail System includes:
 Riverside Trails: 268.96 miles
 Countryside Corridors: 49.60 miles
 Connector Trails: 22.06 miles
 Hudson River Greenway Water Trail:
256 miles
 State Bike Route 9: 147.00 miles
The Greenway Trail
Part 4: Hudson River
Valley Greenway

Goals of the Greenway Trail
Program
 Provide physical and visual access to the Hudson River
 Promote and preserve the Hudson’s Valley
natural, historic, cultural, recreational, scenic, and
agricultural resources through trail linkages
 Contribute to the economic development of local
communities
 Promote community driven, voluntary process for
establishing trails
 Encourage the development of local trails that link to
major trail corridors, forming larger area and regional
networks
Part 4: Part 4: Hudson
River Valley Greenway

 Provide technical assistance for planning and
developing trails
 Provide funding for Greenway Trail
development
 Offer conferences and workshops for trail
groups
 Sponsor special events to highlight the significance of
Greenway Trails at the local and regional level
 Recognize and support local trails through Greenway
Trail Designation
How the Greenway can help

Conservancy Small Grant
Program
 Trail planning and design projects
 Trail construction and rehabilitation projects
 Trail interpretation and education projects
 Competitive grant program
 Priority placed on those projects that will develop
sections identified in the Draft Greenway Trail Vision
Plan, and improve or interpret designated trails
 Funding ranges from $5,000 to $10,000
 Greater amounts available for intermunicipal projects

Hudson River Greenway Water Trail:
A National Water Trail
 A long distance, recreational waterway between specific
points, made up of access, day use, and camping sites for the
boating public.
 New York has 1,200 miles of interconnected, operational water
trails—NYS Canals, Lake Champlain, NY City.
 HRGWT has 97 sites (110 with NYS Canals) and covers 256 miles
from Hadley and Whitehall south to Battery Park in Manhattan.
 Economic Benefits: $27 to $135/day/paddler.
 Access Points: Launches & Landings (10 miles, both sides)
 Campsites: (Overnight Accommodations, 15 miles, 1 side)
 Day Use Sites: Destinations--Natural Areas, Historic
Sites, Downtowns—wherever we can find them!
 In Kingston/Esopus/Ulster/Rhinebeck there are 10 designated
sites.

Obesity rates in adults (2009) Percent of population
engaged in leisure time
physical activity
Part 4: Parks & Trails NY

Why we must act today
Annually, NY’ers spend approx. $11.8 billion
on adult obesity-related health problems.
$136.3 billion over the 10-year period from
2011 to 2020
OFFICE OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER
Thomas P. DiNapoli, State Comptroller
Soaring Health Care Costs Highlight
Need To Address Childhood Obesity
October 2012

PTNY’s Vision
 New Yorkers are only minutes from a trail.
 Throughout the state, trails will be acknowledged
as an essential and mainstream element of
community infrastructure, much as utility lines and
sidewalks are thought of today.
 Beyond its borders, New York will be recognized as
one of the most trail-rich and trail-friendly states
and will attract visitors from across the nation and
abroad to experience the historic communities
and varied and beautiful landscapes accessible
through the state’s trail network.

Specific Goals
1. A statewide, interconnected network of trails
2. Additional funding for trails & trails organizations
3. Close the Gaps – Complete the Canalway Trail
System
4. Greater visibility & level of support for trails in New
York State
5. Greater encouragement & support for trail
volunteers

How we achieve those goals
1. Direct 100% of the new Transportation Alternatives
program funds to trails & infrastructure that support
walking and bicycling.
2. Reconvene the NYS DOT bicycle-pedestrian task force.
3. Establish dedicated funding for trails in the state
budget
4. Implement Complete Streets principles.
5. Provide full, dedicated, permanent funding for the
LWCF
6. Highlight the health, economic, & community benefits
of trails.
7. Develop roll-on service for bikes on Amtrak trains.

Questions for our panelists
Part 4: Panel Q&A
Tim Weidemann
Kingston Land Trust
The Kingston
Greenline: A
City-Wide
Vision
Chris White
Ulster County Planning
cwhi@co.ulster.ny.us
Ulster County
Trails: A
County-Wide
Vision
Plugging Into
the Hudson
River Valley’s
Trail Network
Beth Campochiaro
Scott Keller
Hudson River Valley Greenway
Building and
Advocating for
a Statewide
Network
Martin Daley
Parks & Trails NY
mdaley@ptny.org
ptny.orghudsongreenway.ny.govulstercountyny.govkingstonlandtrust.org

What’s Next?
Signup for Greenline trail walks
 Four Greenline ―quadrants,‖ each with
one or more walking tours and planning
sessions
 Sessions will occur throughout the
summer, during August and September
 Sign-up at the KLT/RTC table in back!
 Watch for updates on the KLT web site
and Facebook
Part 5: Call to Action

What’s Next?
Join us for an upcoming event
 Trail cleanups and maintenance
 Thursday, August 8 at 9AM @ KPRT
 Saturday, August 24 at 9AM @ KPRT
 Stay tuned for more!
 Sign-up at the KLT/RTC table
 Hudson River Valley Ramble
 Saturday, September 14, 3PM @
KPRT
Part 5: Call to Action

Thank you!
 City of Kingston and
Mayor Gallo
 Land Trust Alliance
 Our presenters and
panelists
 All our partners working
for a stronger, better
system of trails in Ulster
County!
 Check out their tables for
more info
You guys
need help?
Are we
pushing?
No, we’re
pulling!
Part 6: Networking
facebook.com/KingstonRailTrails
facebook.com/KingstonLandTrust
www.kingstonlandtrust.org
for more about the Kingston Greenline
slideshare.net/KingstonLandTrust
to download today’s presentations

Kingston Greenline & Ulster County Trails Summit - Summit Presentation

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