Proposed Beacon-Hopewell Rail Trail Conditions Report Issued

The Dutchess County Transportation Council is studying the feasibility of constructing a 13-mile rail trail along the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Beacon Line: an inactive rail corridor that runs between the Hudson River in the City of Beacon and the hamlet of Hopewell Junction in the Town of East Fishkill.

The Council recently released an “Existing Conditions Report” for the Beacon-Hopewell Rail Trail. This report describes the existing infrastructure and environmental conditions along the proposed rail trail. It also highlights key design challenges, including road crossings, bridge rehabilitation needs, utility coordination, and environmental constraints.

The study team visited the railroad corridor in March-April 2024 to assess and document existing conditions. The corridor consists of typical railroad infrastructure such as steel rails, steel rail hardware,
wooden railroad ties, ballast stone, culverts, bridges, and road crossings. Additionally, the corridor includes six standing bridges and multiple drainage culverts and swales.

The rail line crosses seven major roadways with volumes ranging from about 1,000 to 38,000 vehicles per day and crossing distances ranging from 22 feet to 140 feet. The most challenging location for a trail crossing is at State Route 9 in the Village of Fishkill.

The high volumes, exceeding 38,000 vehicles a day, long crossing distance of 140 feet, and six lanes of vehicle traffic make any at-grade trail crossing a challenge. Additionally, this intersection was classified by the study team as a high vehicle crash location, with more than 15 reported crashes per year between 2017 and 2020.

A detailed analysis of options for a trail crossing at this and the other major road crossings is expected to be included in a separate report.

The proposed trail would also connect to trails such as the Riverfront Trail and future Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail in Beacon, and the William R Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail and Empire State Trail in Hopewell Junction.

You can read the existing conditions report here. Read more about the overall trail plan here.

Photo: One of the few washouts on the proposed Beacon-Hopewell Rail Trail about two-tenths of a mile east of Route 9 (provided).