Ulster County Legislature approves Basin Road bridge replacement despite objections over land control and missing agreement

Ulster County legislators voted 19–3 on Feb. 17 to authorize the chair to execute agreements with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to replace the bridge over Basin Road on the Ulster & Delaware Railroad corridor.

The decision followed more than an hour of public comment in which roughly three dozen residents, business owners and railroad employees urged opposite outcomes. Supporters said the existing trestle is a safety and liability risk and welcomed DEP’s stated willingness to fund a replacement. "For the benefit of all users and stakeholders of Basin Road, let's accept DEP's offer to remove and replace the bridge on their dime," said Dominic Mercurio, a Rosendale resident and former NYSDOT employee. Carl Beard of the County Trails Advisory Committee said the replacement bridge could be designed "for active transportation" and characterized the resolution as a "win‑win."

Opponents argued the county was being asked to sign away control without key terms in writing, questioned the need to rush, and raised land‑ownership and historic‑preservation concerns. "This resolution undermines trust," said Legislator Kovacs, urging that the county first obtain a written intergovernmental agreement defining indemnification, land access and timelines. Speaker after speaker from the Catskill Mountain Railroad and its supporters urged delay to review a railroad proposal to raise the existing structure at no taxpayer cost.

Legislator Stewart, who previously opposed the measure, said legal counsel and prior correspondence supported removal and replacement rather than a raise. Stewart cited a 2017 letter from the New York City DEP saying "New York City will not permit the use of rail and trail simultaneously on any part of the easement that runs through the Ashokan Reservoir lands," and a county attorney opinion that restoration of rail uses could terminate the new trail easement. "The bridge needs to be removed and replaced," Stewart said, adding that county counsel’s analysis influenced his change of position.

Chair and other supporters said the resolution does not finalize construction details but signals the county's willingness to proceed with DEP's project subject to execution of agreements. The resolution passed after a long roll call. The chair recorded the measure as adopted 19 to 3.

What happens next: passage authorizes the chair to execute agreements with DEP to replace the Basin Road bridge; stakeholders and the county will await a draft intergovernmental agreement, SEQRA and any required property/easement negotiations before construction can begin. Public commenters urged mediation and continued engagement among the county, DEP, trail proponents and the Catskill Mountain Railroad.