Putnam County has completed the rehabilitation of the historic Maybrook Bikeway Bridge over the East Branch of the Croton River, officially opening the long-awaited connection to the public on November 7, 2025. The project restored a 115-year-old span and completed the final missing link in the Maybrook Trailway, a nine-mile, off-road segment of the Empire State Trail running from Brewster to the Dutchess County line. Work included major structural repairs, lead paint removal, replacement of bridge bearings, new concrete substructures, and installation of prefabricated decking, enabling continuous travel from the Connecticut state line through Putnam and Dutchess counties to the Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie.

The project was led by Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne and overseen by the Putnam County Department of Public Works, with Harrison and Burrowes Bridge Constructors serving as the contractor and Barton & Loguidice providing engineering services. Union labor played a key role under a project labor agreement, with skilled workers from LIUNA Laborers Locals 60 and 235, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 137, and Ironworkers Local 417 completing the work. Elected officials supporting the project included Congressman Mike Lawler, Assemblyman Matt Slater, and Southeast Town Supervisor Nick Durante, all of whom highlighted the bridge’s importance in strengthening regional trail connectivity and improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

Funding for the project came from a coordinated mix of federal, state, and county sources. Congressman Lawler helped secure approximately $3.75 million in Federal Transit Administration funding, administered in part through the New York State Department of Transportation, while additional state and county funds covered the remaining costs, including $50,000 initially secured by then-Assemblyman Byrne and later repurposed by Assemblyman Slater. The Putnam County Department of Planning, Development, and Public Transportation was essential in the application for and management of these funding sources, helping ensure the successful completion of a project county officials described as a major investment in recreation, mobility, and quality of life.