Photo: Oscar Wong / Moment / Getty Images
The Greene County Legislature is working to help the Hunter Area Trail Coalition secure nearly $1 million in federal funding for pedestrian infrastructure improvements in Haines Falls.
On Tuesday, the Legislature's Finance Committee approved a resolution to seek $914,300 in federal Transportation Alternatives Program grant funding for the Haines Falls Pedestrian Improvement Project. The full county legislature will vote on the measure soon.
"This plan is to create a safe walking and bicycling infrastructure to connect the Kaaterskill Rail Trail," explained Michelle Yost, coalition member and county Watershed Assistance Program coordinator. "That trail is at the Mountain Top Historical Society building, which is an extremely busy area in the northern Catskills. It's the first location that greets visitors," she told the Daily Gazette.
The project aims to connect an 11-mile stretch of trail by updating pedestrian and cycling infrastructure between the north and south sides of Route 23A. While the section in Haines Falls is small, officials describe it as a critical link in the broader trail network.
"It's a very short but integral section in Haines Falls that would extend the trail network through this area," Yost said. "The only way to make the connection is with the bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure of a sidewalk."
The county would provide the upfront funding for the project and then be reimbursed through the federal grant program. According to Legislature Chairperson Patrick Linger, the coalition approached the county because "they don't have the finances to lay out the money and wait for the reimbursement."
The grant would cover 80% of project costs, with 15% coming from the New York State Department of Transportation and the final 5% from additional state funding, according to the funding structure for Transportation Alternatives programs.
This project is part of a broader five-phase effort for trail development in the region. The Kaaterskill Rail Trail officially opened on National Trails Day in June 2013 and has become a popular destination in the northern Catskills.
Grant applications are due by March 12, 2026, according to the state DOT's website.