VILLAGE OF MONROE, N.Y. -- Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus and other county officials announced a new two-mile extension of the Heritage Trail from Monroe to Harriman.
The trail is now approximately 15 miles long and runs from Monroe to Goshen. Officials said the new extension will bring more people and business to Orange County. They said visitors will be able to visit historic landmarks, visit animal sanctuaries, eat at local restaurants and shop within different county towns and villages.
"This just not only adds more distance to people currently using it, but opens up opportunities for people in the southern end to use it more,” said Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus.
"We want to showcase our downtown," said Monroe Mayor James C. Purcell. "We've been starting to put money into it, trying to rebuild it. We've had some businesses come back; there is plenty of food to eat, even though they are small businesses, but it's here and the opportunity is endless.
"If people come from out of town, they have more equipment to bring with them; they can park their cars easily, be able to access the trail, and then get to really exercise and enjoy such a beautiful, relaxing trip."
Neuhaus said around 150,000 people use the trail yearly to run, bike and hike. The project cost around $375,000, and those funds came from a county capital project budget. The Monroe-Harriman extension was finished two months ahead of schedule.
Orange County residents are able to access the trail in Chester, Monroe and Goshen, and the county is finding ways to accommodate the increased number of visitors with additional parking. Officials said the county is focused on its next trail extension project in Middletown. Construction is expected to begin in 2018.