Adirondack Rail Trail

Adirondack Rail Trail

Lake Placid to Tupper Lake, Essex and Franklin Counties, NY

This project transformed a 34-mile railroad corridor into a multi-use trail designed for pedestrians, bicyclists, snowmobilers, and cross-country skiers. The scope of work encompassed preliminary and final trail design, ROW survey and mapping, environmental permitting, SEQRA/NEPA compliance, and the design and permitting for access points, parking areas, interpretive materials, and safety improvements.

Creighton Manning led the trail’s preliminary and final design while coordinating with NYSOGS, NYSDOT, and NYSDEC. A Historic Preservation Plan was developed in partnership with the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) to preserve the trail’s cultural significance.

The project was completed in phases. Phase 1, spanning 9.75 miles from Lake Placid to Route 86 in Saranac Lake, included parking areas at Fowler’s Crossing (Route 86), Tupper Lake, and Saranac Lake. Phase 2 extends from Route 86 in Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road and Phase 3 extends from Floodwood Road to Tupper Lake.

Our Contributions:
Creighton Manning’s professional services included trail and parking area design, structural modifications, crossing design, agency coordination, stormwater pollution prevention planning, data collection and analysis, environmental permitting, survey and mapping, cost estimation, and construction support.

This project won an ACEC New York Engineering Excellence Diamond Award.