ALBANY COUNTY — The trail to Albany will soon be smoother.

Construction will begin on June 22 to pave the final unpaved portion of the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail, which connects the Port of Albany to Voorheesville on a continuous nine-mile path paved for cyclists and pedestrians. The paved trail can also be used by people in wheelchairs.

The last 3.7-mile stretch of path to be paved extends between Grove Street in Voorheesville to just west of the Route 85 overpass in Slingerlands and the Albany County Department of Public Works.

“Each year it becomes more popular, with over 200,000 visitors in 2017 alone, which means more people exploring the county and getting great exercise, higher property values along the trail, and less cars clogging our streets and polluting our air,” said Albany county Executive Daniel Mccoy in a statement.

The coming work includes paving, grade crossing improvements, and wooden pedestrian railings for safety. The funding came from a Cleaner, Greener Communities grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and from Albany County.

The Rail Trail land corridor, which winds through Albany, Delmar, Slingerlands, and into Voorheesville, was originally purchased in 2009 through a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation that was matched by Scenic Hudson Inc.

While under construction, the trail will be closed to the public during working hours, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. If conditions allow, the trail may be opened during non-working hours but residents are advised take caution and watch for changing conditions.