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Good News About Aqueduct Trail in Van Cortlandt Park

| CFahn
Long-Closed Aqueduct Stairway Replaced by New Path in Van Cortlandt Park
 

Christina Taylor, Executive Director of Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, reports the welcome news that the southern end of the Old Croton Aqueduct path within the park is now open.  In the past a stairway brought those walking the Aqueduct next to I-87 (the Major Deegan Expressway) downhill to just north of the Van Cortlandt Park Golf House.  The old stairs, which had fallen into hazardous disrepair and were closed for several years, have now been removed and replaced with an ADA-accessible path, allowing walkers to safely reach the Golf House once again.  The new path was installed as part of a State Department of Transportation project replacing a section of I-87.  

As Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct have previously reported, funding is in place to install a pedestrian bridge over I-87. The bridge will enable hikers to follow the original route of the Aqueduct in Van Cortlandt Park and provide easier access to Jerome Park Reservoir.  This exciting project is currently in the design phase.

Preservation

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct are committed to preserving the historic structures atop and underneath the trail. The Friends took part in the reopening of the High Bridge and undertook the complete renovation and reopening of the Keeper’s House in Dobbs Ferry.

Advocacy

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct advocate for the Old Croton Aqueduct and Tunnel, fighting to preserve the integrity of the park and to protect it from encroachments by private landowners. Please find below examples of our work.

Stewardship

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct work to maintain the beauty of the undeveloped trail and the integrity of the entire length of the tunnel from Croton into New York City. We are always looking for volunteers interested in getting involved with adopting a part of the trail for invasive management and native plant restoration. We also have an annual cleanup of the trail in Yonkers.TENDING THE TRAIL: INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT & RESTORING WITH NATIVE PLANTS HISTORIC WALL RESTORATION

Education

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct educate the public about the history or the tunnel and trail. SCHOOL TOURS LECTURES, WALKS AND TOURS NEWSLETTERS Please find below some of our educational content.