U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer visited the City of Poughkeepsie this afternoon to announce CSX railroad will sell to Walkway Over the Hudson an 8/10 of a mile stretch of rail bed connecting the pedestrian bridge to the Dutchess Rail Trail.

After two years of negotiating, CSX has agreed to sell for $1,150,000 the parcel to the Walkway Over the Hudson organization. The acquisition of the strip of land in the City of Poughkeepse will connect the Walkway property and the Dutchess Rail Trail — providing a recreational resource not previously available in the mid-Hudson Valley.

Schumer was joined at 12:30 p.m. by about 50 people at the eastern gate of the Walkway to announce the deal. The sun was shining but a cold biting wind kept away any walkers or bicyclists from venturing across the river.

"Connecting the Walkway Over the Hudson to the Dutchess Rail Trail is a match made in heaven that will make an enormously successful project even more popular, and I am thrilled that CSX, the Dyson Foundation and the Walkway Over the Hudson organization have finalized the land purchase agreement to finally bridge that gap," Schumer said. "Now that this underutilized piece of land is ready to link two great gems of the Hudson Valley- the Walkway and the Dutchess Rail Trail - visitors and tourism dollars will be flocking in even larger numbers to the region.

The deal between CSX and the nonprofit Walkway group was negotiated with the assistance of Schumer and the Dyson Foundation in Millbrook, a nonprofit philanthropic organization.

"This link has tremendous potential for the Hudson Valley and is well worth the wait," Schumer said Tuesday evening. "I'm thrilled the parties have come to an agreement. Finally, the two crown jewels of Hudson Valley tourism, the Walkway and rail trail, will be joined together."

CSX has agreed to sell the parcels for $1,150,000. However, the railroad is donating $100,000 to the Walkway group, resulting in a net $1,050,000 purchase price, said Diana Gurieva, Dyson Foundation vice president.

Written By, John Davis