Durham Valley Scenic Byway receives $93,600

DURHAM―The Durham Valley Scenic Byway has been awarded $93,600 in federal funding to update its long-term management plan, helping position the byway for national designation and bringing greater recognition to one of Greene County’s most scenic routes.

The funding, announced by New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez on Wednesday, comes through the Federal Highway Administration's competitive National Scenic Byway Program.

“This funding for the Durham Valley Scenic Byway to update and revise its Corridor Management Plan will help preserve the diverse natural and scenic beauty of the Catskill Mountains, along with its historical significance and agricultural heritage,” Dominguez said.

The updated plan will address several priorities, including improving safety for motorists and other roadway users, reducing the environmental impact of tourism, strengthening the local economy and preparing for the effects of climate change.

The plan, expected to be completed in 2030, will also help the byway meet federal requirements for national scenic byway designation, allowing it to pursue that recognition if the application process reopens.

Nationally designated byways, of which New York State currently has four, receive increased promotional exposure and preference for certain federal grants.

Established four years ago as part of New York's Scenic Byway system, the Durham Valley Scenic Byway encompasses 21 miles of interconnected historic roads.

Unlike traditional scenic byways that follow a single roadway, the Durham Valley route consists of a network of roads offering sweeping mountain vistas, rolling farmland, historic homes, stone bridges and rural landscapes.

Among its most recognizable attractions is the famed Five State View, which offers panoramic views across the Hudson River Valley toward the Berkshires, Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire, and north toward the Adirondacks.

“The area offers outstanding outdoor activities within the Catskill Mountain Range― considered to be the birthplace of fly-fishing―including the Catskill Creek which runs through the Durham Valley, helping to make recreation a key component of the area’s economic base,” said Dominguez.

The corridor also holds considerable historical significance.

Portions of the Susquehanna Turnpike, established in 1800, passed through the Durham Valley along roads now included in the scenic byway. Two stone arch bridges dating back more than 200 years remain along the historic route. Both bridges are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer called the Durham Valley Scenic Byway “one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the country.”

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand emphasized the importance of maintaining safe access to the corridor.

“This funding will ensure that the byway is accessible and safe for our Greene County community, and I will keep fighting to deliver investments that strengthen transportation infrastructure in New York,” Gillibrand said.

State Senator Michelle Hinchey, who helped secure the byway's state designation in 2022, said the federal award represents another important step toward long-term preservation and national recognition.

“In 2022, our legislation established the Durham Valley Scenic Byway as part of the New York State Scenic Byway system, advancing local efforts to strengthen Greene County’s rural economy and protect its picturesque viewsheds,” Hinchey said.

“We understood that a state designation would be key to unlocking future federal funds and pursuing a national designation, and we’re thrilled to see that vision moving forward with this federal grant award to help the Durham Byway reach its full potential,” she added.

Hinchey also credited the local Durham Valley Scenic Byway Coordinating Committee for its leadership in advancing the initiative.

The corridor's scenic significance was recognized decades before its formal state byway designation. In 1991, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation designated its roads as Scenic Roads “of extraordinary scenic quality.”