Town details multi-use path

Project aims to enhance connectivity, safety for cyclists, pedestrians

DELMAR – Visuals of the Town’s ongoing Cherry Avenue Multi-Use Path project were unveiled, revealing a pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists between Slingerlands and residents who live off the busy thoroughfare.

Bethlehem Town Planning Director Rob Leslie presented an overview of the Cherry Avenue Multi-Use Path project to the Town Board on Wednesday, July 24, highlighting its goals to enhance connectivity and safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

The Cherry Avenue project is designed to create a 10-foot wide multi-use path that extends from Kenwood Avenue to New Scotland Road, near Slingerlands. Leslie explained that this project is part of ongoing transportation improvements and aims to provide safer and more efficient routes for non-motorized users.

The project includes the installation of a crosswalk on Kenwood Avenue, equipped with pedestrian buttons for safe crossing. Cyclists will have two options: traveling in the vehicle lane and making a left turn or using a designated bike box for safer left turns at intersections.

Bike boxes are designated areas at the head of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection, providing bicyclists with a safe and visible way to get ahead of queuing traffic during the red signal phase.

“So, maybe your more experienced cyclist will use the travel lane as if they were a motor vehicle, others who may not be as comfortable as that,” Leslie said. “They use this bike box and then travel.”

The multi-use path will connect to the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail, allowing seamless travel for pedestrians and cyclists. Additionally, a 12-foot wide section of the path will accommodate access for a property owner’s maintenance vehicle. This section will be designed to support vehicular traffic without compromising the path’s primary use.

The path will run parallel to Cherry Avenue Extension, with a new 5-foot shoulder replacing the existing 12-foot shoulder. This change aims to reduce vehicle speeds and provide a safer environment for non-motorized users. The shoulder will feature a tapered curb to allow emergency vehicles to pull off the road if necessary.

Leslie said the project design incorporates feedback from a public meeting held in December and a neighborhood meeting with residents of McCormack Road North. One significant change based on community input includes modifying the center median to allow a two-stage left turn for vehicles exiting McCormack Road North, improving safety and traffic flow.

The project is mainly within the New York State Department of Transportation right of way, minimizing the need for property acquisition. The plan includes modifying existing infrastructure, such as converting a concrete sidewalk to an asphalt path near the New Scotland Road roundabout, ensuring continuity and safety for path users.

The planning and design phase continues.

The post Town details multi-use path first appeared on Spotlight News .