City holds public meeting over Saranac River trail

By Mathias Kamin
Grace Bechard’s grandfather used to own the small strip of land across the street from her home at 126 Pine St; a piece of land only about eight feet wide in some places that bit by bit tumbles straight into the Saranac River each year with the coming of the spring thaw. The city of Plattsburgh now owns this land, and is planning on shoring up the embankment with a retaining wall that will be supporting a newly unveiled river trail.
The first of many public meetings was held two weeks ago showcasing the proposed multi-use trail that will run along the Saranac river in Plattsburgh. The trail which will be paved and open to pedestrians and bicyclists should be completed by November of 2010.
The trail will run along the length of the river from the end of George Angel Drive behind Plattsburgh high school through the SUNY Plattsburgh campus and will end at the Saranac Street Bridge.
The trail’s current course is set to pass through the Pine Street neighborhood, and certain residents expressed wariness of the proposed trail. “It’s a waste of money; there are other things the money should be spent on especially in this economy,” said Randy Brown of 140 Pine St.
Pine street residents were generally supportive of the trail, but on the condition that it was an open debate and that city official would listen to their concerns. “We’re not against it. I don’t mind the expenditure, as long as they use it right, respectfully,” said Todd Bechard.
Around the bend in the river, neighbor of the Bechard’s and Brown’s, Bill Trim of 84 Pine St, “It doesn’t bother me, but I know some of my neighbors might be upset.”
The 1 million dollars in funding for the proposed trail will come from the New York State Department of Transportation’s Multi Modal 2 Program. This program sets aside money for projects that encourage alternate forms of transportation. A majority of the path would be 10ft wide allowing for easy two way traffic on the path.

Although the city signed an agreement with Barton & Logidice, PC of Albany in Sept 2008, the proposed trail is still in the planning stages and its current design is not final. Thomas C. Baird P.E. the managing engineer for the project said “modifications to the design can happen anytime. It is the city’s project they call the shots.” Baird said that his company will be working under a consensus with the city of Plattsburgh, PSUC, the River Trail Committee and the Public.
River Trail Committee meetings are to be held once a month at city hall said the city’s engineer, Kevin Farrington P.E. “The committee is a grassroots citizen group, with pretty much everybody represented. You got reps from inside the city, outside the city, the Chamber of Commerce, the Health Department, SUNY Plattsburgh. The meetings are open to the public and they are encouraged to express themselves. A big part of the committee is to build consensus”.
Barton & Loguidice were chosen by the city out of a pool of qualified firms to do the work. Barton & Loguidice are currently working in Lloyd, New York, an hour and a half south of Albany, on a similar project to the one in Plattsburgh, in which is an old railroad track is being turned into a public use trail.
The next meeting of the Trail Committee is scheduled for Nov. 18 at 4:30pm in the Plattsburgh City Hall’s community room. The public is encouraged by the city to attend and voice their concerns.