Trails Committee and Nature Center Take
Steps to Make Rye More Walkable

– By Bill Lawyer –

The City’s Traffic and Trails Committee is working on two projects to improve pedestrian safety. In a report presented to the City Council by Councilman Mack Cunningham May 27, plans were outlined to connect the Playland Parkway footpath to Theodore Fremd Avenue, so that people can walk to Playland from the Harrison and Rye train stations. This will require cooperation between the City and Westchester County, which owns Playland Parkway.

In addition, the plan will enable the public to walk east or west, to or from Boston Post Road (BPR) and Hammond Road or Theodore Fremd via the 47-acre Rye Nature Center (RNC) trails. Working with the Conservation Committee/Advisory Council (CCAC) and RNC staff, the committee has devised a plan to create “trailheads” with informational signage at six points on the eastern and western sides of the nature center.

With the help of an intern from SUNY Purchase, RNC is in the final stages of creating a highly accurate, GIS-based map of the property, which will be used to orient walkers to the trails.

The six access points can be seen on the “working draft” of the final map as shown. They are: 1) near the Central Avenue Bridge;. 2) RNC’s main entrance road;. 3) the “snowfield” across BPR from Nugent Field; 4) Hammond Road; 5) the “Phone Line Trail” at the corner of Hammond and Theodore Fremd; and 6) access further north on Theodore Fremd.
In addition to setting up the trailheads, the project will include upgrading existing trails within the nature center, as well as creating a crosswalk on Boston Post Road by the snowfield. A stairway at the to-be-rebuilt Central Avenue Bridge will facilitate access to the RNC trail there.

RNC director Russ Johnson said he is very excited about the project. “We’re always looking for ways to make nature a part of people’s everyday lives. Now walkers can save time, breathe the Center’s clean air, and maybe even encounter wildlife.”
Councilman Cunningham noted that the committee and the nature center are looking for sponsors and other funding sources to pay for the trailhead information kiosks, which will have all-weather signage. They will also need funding for copies of the maps and trail-description flyers that they will distribute through the schools, library, city website, and other venues.

The Rye Nature Center is already using scout groups to help complete and upgrade the trail system. Additional volunteers will be needed to develop and maintain the trailhead and trail systems in the years ahead.

As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “The journey of one thousand miles begins with one step.” Rye has taken that step.