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Consultants outline feasibility study to restore recreational access to Little River
Summary
Consultants for the Village of Menands presented a feasibility study scope and two conceptual designs to create public access to the Little River and potentially reestablish navigable connection to the Hudson River; project faces coordination needs with DOT, multiple property owners and possible brownfield constraints.
Matt Rogers, a project consultant with Lavela Associates, presented a feasibility study and two design concepts aimed at restoring recreational access to the Little River in the Village of Menands.
Rogers said the study focuses on a roughly 400-acre study area accessible from East Elmwood Road and centered on DOT right-of-way, and that the work builds on earlier reports and the village's 2020 comprehensive plan. He told the board the Little River still shows tidal influence from the Hudson and that the area includes wetlands that serve as flood protection.
The study team examined ownership and past uses, including former railroad and industrial activities. Rogers said those past uses increase the chance the site will be regulated as a brownfield, so any ground disturbance would require coordination with state partners and likely environmental review. He also said DOT right-of-way and the culverts beneath Route 787 constrain existing access and that DOT’s Reimagine 787 initiative has recommended replacing culverts with a bridge as a long-term fix.
Rogers described two conceptual approaches. “Concept A” would use regional market-owned land to create a loop parking area, provide car-top (non-motorized) river access, and include stone-dust ADA-accessible paths and a floating dock anchored to the shoreline. The consultant said the plan would prioritize visibility for public safety and adequate turning radii for emergency vehicles. A simpler alternative would have fewer operational conflicts but create access conflicts with private property owners, he said.
Rogers identified key near-term steps: confirm Concept A as the preferred approach, prepare preliminary cost estimates, finalize the report for public review and continue coordination with DOT and property owners. He projected the village would pursue phased implementation over several years and that outside grants—such as the Hudson River Valley Greenway grant that funded the feasibility study—county funding, and Brownfield Opportunity Grant funds could supply construction resources. Rogers told the board he expected the full feasibility report to be available to the public in about a month with a follow-up presentation in late spring or early summer.
Board members and the public discussed federal funding prospects and local partnerships. A board member referenced conversations with Representative Paul Tonko’s office about federal legislation (the New York–New Jersey Watershed Protection language) as a potential future funding source. A resident at public comment urged that any future shoreline or waterfront facilities in the village be named to honor local residents; that naming request was submitted to village staff for consideration.
No formal action was taken at the meeting to authorize construction; Rogers and the village described the expected next steps as reporting, grant pursuit, and phased implementation contingent on funding and regulatory review.
Rogers and members of the village working group emphasized coordination with the state, owners of the regional market parcel, the railroad (which owns a former rail bed), and other private landowners. The consultant also highlighted the need to limit wetland disturbance, plan for potential brownfield remediation, and design parking and ADA access to reduce trespass risk and ensure emergency access.
The presentation and slides will be posted on the village website, the consultant said, and the village will continue outreach and agency coordination as the study moves toward publication and potential grant-funded design work.
