Walkway over the Hudson

Walkway Over the Hudson
Coordinates41°42′40″N 73°56′38″W / 41.711°N 73.944°W / 41.711; -73.944
CarriesRailroad (1889–1974)
Hudson Valley Rail Trail (2009–present)
CrossesHudson River
LocalePoughkeepsie, New York to Highland, New York
Websitewalkway.org
Characteristics
DesignCantilever deck truss bridge
Total length6,768 feet (1.282 mi; 2.063 km)
Width35 feet (11 m)
Height212 feet (65 m)
Longest span2 × 548 feet (167 m)
No. of spans7
Clearance below160 feet (49 m)
History
Constructed byManhattan Bridge Building Company
Construction start1886
Construction end1889
OpenedJanuary 1, 1889 (rail service)
October 3, 2009 (pedestrian use)
Location
Interactive map of Walkway Over the Hudson

The Walkway Over the Hudson is a steel cantilever bridge crossing the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York and Highland, New York. The structure was completed in 1889 as a double track railroad bridge, later known as the Poughkeepsie–Highland Railroad Bridge. Rail service ended in 1974 after a fire damaged part of the deck.

The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, with additional documentation recorded in 2008. It reopened on October 3, 2009 as a pedestrian walkway in the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park. The New York State Bridge Authority owns the bridge structure. The park is operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The walkway connects the Hudson Valley Rail Trail to the Dutchess Rail Trail, forming part of the Empire State Trail.