The Walkway Over the Hudson: Experience It Now

Spanning 1.28 miles over the Hudson River and connecting the towns of Poughkeepsie to the east and Highland to the west is the Walkway Over the Hudson, the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. This impressive steel cantilever bridge was formerly a part of the Maybrook Railroad Line of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, starting in 1889, but since 2009 has become one of the most popular destinations for visitors to the Hudson Valley. Every year more than 600,000 visitors cross the bridge whether on foot or bicycle to take in the perfectly unobstructed 360-degree view of the Hudson River and surrounding landscape.

Building the Poughkeepsie Bridge—or Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge as it was formerly called—was a huge endeavor. Planning began in 1871 but it took 17 years before the bridge was ready for use. As many as 50 freight trains each day passed over the bridge in the early days, and during both World Wars troops and supplies made their way east en route to Europe.  By the 1950s, however, the bridge was being used much less as the national highway system expanded and in 1974 it was badly damaged in a fire and abandoned.

Thanks to the dedication of several key people, including Fred W. Schaeffer who worked tirelessly to get funding, the project morphed from just the bridge into an actual park. With the addition of a $20 million contribution by New York State, the Dyson Foundation, and many private donors, work began to repair the bridge and prepare it for its new purpose as a community park and tourist destination.

Today the Walkway is operated and maintained by both the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the NYS Bridge Authority. I remember my first visit to the Walkway, perhaps just a year after it opened, and was so impressed just by the walk itself. The views are about the best you can see from anywhere in New York State. Since that first visit, two visitor centers have sprung up, accessible before you enter the bridge area on both sides of the river. What is truly impressive to me is the thoughtful programming offered at the Walkway.

The best place to see the 4th of July fireworks is definitely on the Walkway Over the Hudson. Tickets sell out pretty fast, so you must book well in advance. Coming up this October 4 is Starrystarrynight, a fundraiser to honor the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Guests can enjoy delicious food, local wine, beers and spirits and some musical and art performances. On September 22nd you can attend the Sunrise Stroll for free to catch the autumnal equinox that rises in line with the Walkway deck. That event starts at 7:00 a.m.. Among the walkways other great offerings are their free evening concerts at the Ulster Welcome Center Plaza, on the west side entrance. These concerts are scheduled for every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00 p.m. from May 28 to August 27, so there is still an opportunity to go.

When the Walkway Over the Hudson opened officially on October 3, 2009, the legendary singer and environmentalist Pete Seeger performed for a large crowd of visitors that included Governor David Paterson, Senator Chuck Schumer, and John May, the engineer of the last train to have crossed over the bridge. I have stated several times over the course of writing articles for AFPC-USA’s U.S. Culture & Arts Review that these community projects play a huge role in bringing people together for the common good.

This bridge brings locals and tourists from afar to enjoy common interests and appreciate the environment that New York State is working so hard to preserve and promote. The Walkway Over the Hudson also connects the Dutchess Rail Trail and the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, comprising the 750-mile network of trails from New York City to Canada and Buffalo to Albany.

For more information: https://walkway.org/visit/