ALBANY COUNTY — Construction is complete on a new shared-use path for walkers and cyclists connecting the village of Menands to the Mohawk-Hudson Hike-Bike Trail along the Hudson River, which is also part of the newly completed Empire State Trail.

The new, nearly one-mile-long path was constructed along the side of the Exit 6 entrance ramp to Interstate 787 and provides hikers and cyclists with a safe route over the busy highway to reach the trail and the Hudson River. It also gives those already on the riverside trail an easy way to visit Menands for lunch or shopping.  

The Mohawk-Hudson Hike-Bike Trail connects Albany County to Schenectady County and follows the paths of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers. It is also part of the new 750-mile Empire State Trail, connecting New York City to Canada and Albany to Buffalo. It is the nation's longest multi-use state trail, three quarters of which is off-road. The trail is expected to draw 8.6 million residents and tourists annually.

Begun in April of 2020, the $7.8 million project involved the construction of a protected bicycle and pedestrian path along the south side of the Exit 6 on-ramp to northbound Interstate 787, giving users the ability to go directly from downtown Menands to the riverfront trail without having to traverse the highway. The state’s Department of Transportation also installed a 12-foot-wide, 10-foot-high box culvert to serve as a tunnel that carries the trail underneath the southbound I-787 entrance lane.

The project also reconfigured Broadway (State Route 32) between Wolfert Avenue and Oakland Avenue to enhance safety for cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists. New sidewalk ramps were added throughout the project limits to meet the standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act.