Rendering of a walk-around, one of many options being considered
POUGHKEEPSIE – A 60-foot outcropping known as Kaal Rock is presently separating Waryas and Kaal Rock parks and the City of Poughkeepsie is looking to change that.
The city’s Comprehensive Plan and Waterfront Revitalization Plan both call for the parks to be connected via a trail of some sort. According to City of Poughkeepsie Community Development Coordinator Paul Hesse, three plans are being investigated – a suspended trail with mono-poles, a cantilevered approach or a walk-around switchback design away from the waterfront.
“What we are finding is that the cantilevered approach is likely going to be the most expensive just by the sheer amount of steel involved in building this project,” Hesse said. “The switchback approach would be the least expensive because there is no structure being built, although there is quite a lot of earthwork that needs to be done in order to create the switchback.”
Hesse and the city’s administration have been working with the State Department of State, which requested a “more exhaustive alternatives analysis” rather than focusing on one alternative.
The resulting analysis was based in part on a 2016 geotechnical feasibility study funded by the Poughkeepsie Alliance. Scenic Hudson has also played a major role in the plan to connect the two parks without endangering users or the environment.
Hesse said that the city is seeking input from the community through
a brief online survey which will be live through at least the end of November.
The study which explains all three options can be reviewed at http://cityofpoughkeepsie.com/wp-content/files/plan/KaalRockConnectorAlternativesPresentation20181002.pdf.
After reviewing the three alternatives, interested parties can take the
survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TCCVQP5
