FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 28, 2024

Senator Schumer Secures $1.5M for City of Kingston Waterfront Resiliency Project

KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that, in the recently-passed budget bill, Senator Chuck Schumer has included $1.5 million for the City of Kingston to fund the East Strand & North Street Roadway Elevation project.

Part of the group of DOT-funded RAISE projects, the East Strand & North Street Roadway Elevation project will raise the road on two portions of East Strand that experience frequent tidal flooding and ensure that travel to and from nearby residential neighborhoods can remain uninterrupted. In addition to raising and rebuilding sections, the road will be restriped, and adjacent sidewalks elevated, providing safety upgrades for pedestrians and cyclists.

Mayor Steve Noble said, “I want to thank Majority Leader Schumer for all he has done for Kingston, from helping to secure the $21.7 million RAISE grant last year, to delivering an additional $1.5 million to assist us in creating a vibrant and resilient waterfront. This area, which is prone to frequent flooding, is integral to connecting the downtown business district and beloved visitor sites – the Maritime Museum, the Trolley Museum, the Clearwater, and Hudson River Cruises--to the Kingston Greenline, the Empire State Trail, and the Sojourner Truth State Park. This initiative will not only maintain access for residents of the Ponckhockie neighborhood, it will help spur long-lasting economic vitality in our historic Waterfront District. I thank Senator Schumer for his ongoing commitment to Kingston, and for working with us to continue making improvements to the waterfront.”

The East Strand & North Street Roadway Elevation project will also help protect the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant on East Strand and will integrate with the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Rondout Riverport Phase 2 project.

The $21.7 million RAISE grant that the City of Kingston was awarded last year, will support five ‘Weaving the Waterfront’ projects that complete vital connections between Kingston’s neighborhoods and our natural resources and upgrade with ADA-accessible infrastructure:

1. Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 2
Phase 2 will include paving a 10-to-12-foot-wide ADA-compliant path for pedestrians and bicyclists. The new path will begin where Phase 1 ends at Garraghan Drive and traverse over an old bridge, pass behind the Trolley Museum, and end at a small trailhead on East Strand Street. Phase 2 includes fencing, interpretation of historical places, and the construction of a small building to exhibit 9/11 artifacts in the Museum’s collection.

2. East Strand and North Street Complete Streets
The project’s second component includes the development of ADA-compliant sidewalks, a multi-use path or bike lanes, Complete Streets amenities, and flood resilience measures for 1.2 miles along the roads parallel to the Rondout Creek -- Rondout Landing, East Strand Street and North Street. Complete Streets will be implemented from the end of Broadway in the Waterfront Business District to the intersection of North Street and Delaware Avenue near Kingston Point Park. Green infrastructure and a canopy of urban street trees on Rondout Landing and East Strand will provide shade, stormwater capture, and species biodiversity. Two sections of East Strand that experience flooding during spring tides will be raised and rebuilt.

3. Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 3 – Trolley Trail

This component begins at the intersection of East Strand and North Streets, traveling east along the Trolley Trail causeway currently enjoyed by pedestrians and seasonal trolley tour patrons. An elevated 10-foot-wide, 0.72-mile climate-resilient boardwalk is proposed along the causeway adjacent to the trolley tracks. The boardwalk will traverse the length of the causeway before turning north to provide an accessible route up through Rotary Park, where the trolley route ends at a replica trolley station at the mouth of Rondout Creek.

Shoreline stabilization of the causeway, utilizing living shoreline approaches, and historic/archaeological mitigation will be required to enhance biodiversity and protect the rich pre-historic legacy of the area.

4. Rotary Park & Kingston Point Park Pedestrian Connections/ Raising of Delaware Avenue

This component will complete the Empire State Trail/Hudson River Brickyards Trail connections through Rotary Park and Kingston Point Park with a safe, accessible path. A new network of sidewalks and multi-use paths along Delaware Avenue will create a linear connection that fills a critical in the Empire State Trail.

Delaware Avenue between North Street and Rotary Park will be raised to address flooding, which will provide at least 30 years of access to the parks. Complete Streets will also be implemented to improve pedestrian and bicycle access and ADA-compliance.

5. North Street Complete Streets
North of Delaware Avenue, Complete Streets will extend along North Street. Adjacent to the Hutton Brickyards, a 10-to-12-foot paved pathway will connect to the Hudson River Brickyard Trail, completing the Empire State Trail/Kingston Greenline. This path will provide multi-modal access to the Sojourner Truth State Park. Grant funds will be used for design and construction. Three new electrical vehicle charging stations will be installed at key locations, adding to an expanding citywide network of stations.

More information about the Weaving the Waterfront projects funded by the RAISE grant can be found at https://engagekingston.com/weaving-the-waterfront-transportation-project.