Bureaucracy strikes again. I can't believe how difficult it is to close a road.

Isn't route 218 a public road? There are no signs prohibiting pedestrians, people can walk on an "active roadway" any time they like, unless it is specifically prohibited.

I'm not opposed to the Hike and Bike but it seems pre-mature without the advertisement to attract the masses of people desired. It should not happen until more planning is done. A true public process to identify key partners and organizations to pull it off. How is the museum of Hudson Highlands tied in? Was Audubon connected? Is there a connection to Bannermans Island, one of the best views is from SK. Are there interpretive events tied in to talk about the Hudson River? If this is going to be up to par with the walkway then more needs to be accomplished. Closing the road for the very few Cornwall Residents that actually know about it is selfish. Many others travel to the mountain for pleasure including motorcyle riders. I am sure if you ask the businesses who spends the most on a sunny day it would be those tourists in or on vehicles. Closing the road without a plan seems unrealistic.

Gee, could that possibly be because it's A ROAD? For motor vehicles? It directly affects three communities--C-o-H, Highland Falls and the USMA--and is ultimately controlled by the county, not some hike-and-bike enthusiasts. As I've pointed out before, motorists and motorcyclists from all over the Tri-State area come to drive and ride 218, particularly on nice Sundays, and it's unfair to them, since the road has for decades been promoted as a scenic drive, to unilaterally close it.

Please don't interpret this as an anti-biking comment. My wife rides thousands of miles a year (not an estimate, it's recorded on her cyclometer). Or as a pro-motorcycle comment, but the fact is that bikers can currently legally use 218 and it's illegal to arbitrarily close it.

Here is the video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvDmXG9kC9A
it is also at ArgenioAndrewChannel on YouTube

The title of the article states that the Trustees "clash" but only gives information about Trustee Kane and what he said - Isn't a clash a two sided thing? What was said on the other side of the conversation?

I find it interesting that during the election accusations were being thrown around about nothing positive being offered, but when something positive is being offered it is a point of attack, rather than a starting point of consensus ... Wasn't that what we were told, civility and consensus? What was our new Mayor doing during this time?

The news article, and comments section, mentioned The Town of Highlands and West Point in their comments on closing 218. Noone mentioned the Town of Cornwall whose Police and Fire Departments are responsible for 218 in the Town of Cornwall---a much larger portion than the Village. West Point, although they are, and should be,very much involved in Rte. 218,have no juridiction there.
Al Mazzocca

Al's absolutely right, and that was a surprise to me, until I looked at a map: the Village's control over 218 extends only as far as the entry gate to the first uphill section--i.e. Bayview Avenue, basically. From the gate to the town line (about halfway to the West Point Washington Gate) is all Town.

So the question becomes, how did the Village come to unilaterally declare a new use for a road that is totally out of its jurisdiction?

It's Summer, and some of us get to travel to nice places and see other communities doing interesting things, like closing off (for a few weekend hours) a section of an otherwise bustling town square to have, let's say, a farmer's market. Take a trip to Times Square and enjoy a leisurely stroll down the middle of Broadway! I would venture that many scenic communities nation-wide are taking precisely these steps to allow residents and visitors alike to have their turn to slow down and enjoy scenic vistas normally off-limits to a non-motorized experience. I also think that most people come away from that with a very positive feeling for the place. I fully realize that there are many layers of bureaucracy, and piles of "no's" for a single "yes". Can't we just accept that this is is an idea worth pursuing? Let's not be sticks in the mud, and live a little!

Rt 218 is closed right now due to the weather ... The interesting thing is the state closes it for safety reasons due to weather all the time, and people still use it for hiking and biking ... Wouldnt it be better to have a designated time slot once a week that people can safely use it without traffic? I was home last Sunday, there was no mass turn out to use the road ... Also, people are using the road for pedestrian uses more and more WHILE it was open ... Trustee Argenio made a projected statement about 3 weeks ago stating it would be close June 19, but if you look at his letters since then everything he said was we are working with the state for the closure, there was never an update stating that it has been finalized at any point

If somebody doesn't want a road closed, that doesn't make them a stick in the mud. What about all the motorcycles that come down that road on Sundays and contribute to the economy in the village and the town? They certainly aren't sticks in the mud!

It may be an idea worth pursuing, but wasn't "pursued" properly in the first place, thus the reason for this article.

Denise Peters

It REALLY bothers me that people throw the thought of motorcyclists left and right ... if you actually lived on the road you would realize that almost all of them speed ... many at low speeds of about 40-45 mph, but MANY of them at speeds of 60 mph + ... It was NOT like this a decade ago, and is a major issue. I welcome this idea as a way to have a quiet, peaceful use of the road ... MANY of the people who use Rt 218 for vehicle traffic NEVER stop in the Village, and do not do anything for the economy ... all the do is speed ... Why cant everyone have a chance to use the road, and give the residents on the road a bot of peace? I am a resident of this road, I support the idea of a hike and bike for two major reasons - 1... people are already using it, and 2 ... the speeding BY motorcyclists ... The road is regularly closed and the businesses are NOT hurting for it. It would be nice to be able to have it used to a positive purpose