The Town of Dryden has won $3 million to build a new section of the Dryden Rail Trail and upgrade portions of the existing route. The award is part of a statewide package of federal transportation grants announced Wednesday.
The governor's Oct. 14 announcement lists Dryden among 35 projects selected for more than $97 million through the Transportation Alternatives Program. The New York State Department of Transportation administers the Federal Highway Administration funding.
The award covers both a new trail segment and improvements to existing segments, but the announcement does not identify the section to be built or give a construction schedule. It describes the project as an award, not work already underway.
Assemblymember Anna Kelles said the new segment would help close a gap in the trail and make existing sections accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act. She said the connection would give people another way to reach work, school and other destinations without a car.
How the grant works
Transportation Alternatives Program grants support sidewalks, safer routes to schools, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, transit connections and trail networks. Dryden's award is listed under the Southern Tier group of projects, which received $9.1 million in all.
Projects were chosen through a competitive application process that considered their benefits and fit with the program's goals. To qualify, a project must be connected to the surface transportation system and fully accessible to the public.
The state says the Transportation Department will cover up to 80% of eligible project costs, with the sponsor providing at least 20%. Eligible expenses can include planning, design, property acquisition, construction and construction inspection. The announcement does not state Dryden's total project cost or the amount of its local match.
Across New York, the awards include $16.5 million for trail networks and shared-use paths, $52.8 million for sidewalk and pedestrian and bicycle safety work, $16.9 million for safer school routes, and $11 million for other multimodal connections. Individual grants range from $500,000 to $7 million.
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