BEACON – After years of discussion between Dutchess County, Metro-North and the City of Beacon, the county is undertaking a study into creating a rail trail along the old Beacon-Hopewell rail line.
Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou said the stretch of abandoned tracks could become part of a statewide system.
“We successfully encouraged the county to consider expanding the rail trail system with Metro-North’s Beacon Line, which runs from our train station, along Fishkill Creek, Main Street and Route 52 and then north to Hopewell that connects to the Empire State rail system all the way to Buffalo and the Canadian border,” he said. “Dutchess County Planning has kicked off a feasibility study at our request and so we are expecting that to be the start of an exciting decade-long project.”
If approved, the new rail trail portion would extend for 13 miles.
