SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — The second phase of the Adirondack Rail Trail from Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road is complete and open ahead of schedule, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced.
Rifenburg Construction completed the $8.75 million construction project for the second phase of the Adirondack Rail Trail, which began in the summer of 2023 and is now mostly complete. The exception is a portion of the trail that will be temporarily reclosed in October 2024 for season-specific work on a stretch of the trail from Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road.
The 34-mile multi-use recreational corridor connects Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, and Lake Placid. Once complete, the trail will be open year-round and free of charge for hikers, bikers, cross-country skiers, and snowmobiles.
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“The Adirondack Rail Trail is already connecting New Yorkers to nature and attracting visitors to the region’s wide-ranging, multi-seasonal opportunities for recreation,” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said a statement. “Today’s milestone marks another significant step in ongoing construction along the Adirondack Rail Trail’s multi-use recreational corridor. As the final phase of construction planning begins, DEC reminds visitors and neighbors to avoid use in all closed portions of the trail so workers and the public can stay safe as this world-class shared-use path is built for the enjoyment of all.”
The route provides visitors with the opportunity to enjoy each community along the trail along with campsites and waterways. Signage along the rail trail helps visitors learn about the history of the railway, cultures of the adjacent communities, and about the surrounding lands and waters.
The state also awarded the contract for rail trail construction from Floodwood Road to Tupper Lake to Kubricky Construction Corp. of Wilton in Saratoga County. Work on the $7.4 million contract will begin immediately. Kubricky Construction completed phase one of the trail from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake in late 2023.
Funding for this phase and the Saranac Lake Union Depot restoration includes $13.1 million from the 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act along with investments from NY Works and the state’s Environmental Protection Fund.
With the upgrades to the Saranac Lake Union Depot, the state is anticipating a request for proposals for operations resulting in public use and access at the site.
The project is part of the DEC’s strategic investments through the Adventure NY Initiative to enhance public access to state lands and facilities and connect people with nature and the outdoors. The trail will be accessible to people of all abilities to the maximum extent possible. Work on the project began in October 2020. Upon completion, the DEC will assume day-to-day management of the trail.
