Oct. 31, 2017 - Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino today opened the final segment of the South County Trailway, which along with the North County Trailway, now spans 37 miles from the New York City border to the Putnam County line.
“The creation of this uninterrupted, 37-mile paved recreational pathway, has been something so many county residents have waiting for,” said Astorino. “I’m genuinely happy to celebrate on behalf of the thousands of cyclists, joggers and walkers who have been anticipating this moment.”
The County Executive was assisted in cutting the ceremonial ribbon by Bob Hermann, president of the Westchester Cycle Club.
In June, 2016, the County Board of Legislators approved a $2.75 million bond act for the project to close this final gap in in the South County Trailway in Elmsford, as well as a 25-year lease with the New York State Department of Transportation to construct and operate a portion of the trailway on state property along the Saw Mill River.
The South and North County Trailways meet in Eastview, on the border between Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant. Together, the trailways allow bicyclists and pedestrians to travel mostly along right-of-way lands of the former Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad (the “Old Put”), from Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx to the Putnam County border between the towns of Somers and Carmel.
New York State began construction of the North County Trailway in the 1980s, leasing the rights to the county. In 1991, Westchester acquired the right-of-way for the South County Trailway. Construction of this final phase began earlier this year.