The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo has announced that the construction of the Albany Skyway, a new elevated park in the state’s capital is scheduled to begin later this month. The Albany Skyway is aimed to transform an underutilized Clinton Avenue ramp off northbound Interstate 787 and Quay Street in Albany, New York, into an elevated, linear park and is scheduled to open by the end of 2021. Upon completion, the project will then be expanded to allow for recreational and retail opportunities in the City of Albany and provide a new, safe way for pedestrians and cyclists to reach the Corning Riverfront Park and the Mohawk Hudson Hike Bike Trail along the Hudson River waterfront. The New York State Department of Transportation will oversee the construction of the park.
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The US$13 million Albany Skyway project will close the underused Clinton Avenue ramp which will be repurposed as a landscaped multi-use park for pedestrians and bicyclists. It will provide safe, non-motorized access from downtown Albany and neighborhoods, such as Arbor Hill, Sheridan Hollow, and the Warehouse District, to the Hudson River and the city’s Corning Riverfront Park, while enabling visitors to the waterfront to safely access downtown Albany. The approximately half-mile-long Skyway will be fully accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
When completed, the Albany Skyway will build on the success of Governor Cuomo’s landmark Empire State Trail, which is the nation’s longest multi-use state trail. Completed in December 2020, the trail spans 750-miles and runs from New York City through the Hudson and Champlain Valleys to Canada, and from Albany to Buffalo along the Erie Canal. It provides a safe and scenic pathway for New Yorkers and tourists to experience New York State’s varied landscapes.
