AMSTERDAM - After almost 14 years the pedestrian bridge project is making strides.
While officials say the grass is greener on the other side of the bridge, some city residents are asking legislators to reconsider how they spend the $16.5 million from the state. The funds are part of $50 million set aside in the 2005 Transportation Bond Act for canal-related projects
"A bridge to nowhere is not going to bring you tourism dollars, but if you want to develop the waterfront, then develop both sides of the river," said Diane Hatzenbuhler, a city resident who ran for mayor two years ago as a Republican and the host of an open-line radio show on WCSS.
Hatzenbuhler and a group of residents began circulating petitions against the construction of the bridge Thursday. Hatzenbuhler hopes to have at least 1,000 signatures to submit to state and city officials.
The petition calls for the funds to be used for "general improvements of the waterfront," and if possible, for the "Batchellerville Bridge project to benefit our neighbors in Fulton and Saratoga Counties," instead of the pedestrian bridge.
Hatzenbuhler said the bridge will not connect the Riverlink Park to downtown because the design stops at the railroad tracks and there is no funding available to take the bridge over the tracks and Route 5.
Each of the three concept designs for the bridge includes a spur to connect the bridge to the downtown district, Mayor Ann Thane said. While the city has not secured funding specifically for that component, Thane believes the cost of the bridge itself could be less than $16.5 million, in which case the city would have money left over to put toward connecting the bridge to downtown.
"The idea is to connect the downtown to the north shore," Thane said. "I have told the designers that they must include a component that leads to the downtown."
Hatzenbuhler would prefer to combine private and public funds for projects like a seasonal bridge to an island in the river, extension of bike trails or expansion of the marina - even a boathouse. She suggested the city consider renting recreational equipment like paddle boats to residents.
"You can really increase tourism and revenue by expanding the facilities from one end to the other," she said. "If you look up and down the canalway other communities have successful operations with parks and marinas on both sides of the river. They don't have a bridge that goes nowhere in the middle of the river."
Thane emphasized the bridge is not slated for completion until 2015, and that engineers, architects, and other experts are still assessing the costs of the three bridge designs.
If the city needs to, it has time to raise additional funds, Thane said.
"We are getting this bridge and it will be a tremendous gift to the community," she said.
The city secured a $350,000 grant Wednesday from the state Dormitory Authority for the second phase of Riverlink Park. That grant combined with $350,000 from the state Department of State's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program brings the total state funding of Riverlink Park Phase II to $700,000. Phase II will expand the park so that it will connect with the proposed pedestrian bridge.
The Saratoga Associates are working with Ammann and Whitney Consulting Engineers, and the Canal Corporation to design the bridge. The Saratoga Associates designed the Riverlink Park earlier in the decade.
The first concept for the pedestrian bridge is a traditional cable-stay bridge designed to pay homage to Amsterdam's past in its materials and design, which would include areas for benches and two lit towers.
The second and third concepts are straight or curved park-over-the-river designs. Live trees would be planted on either bridge. At its widest, the curved bridge would span 40 feet.
The conceptual drawings are available on the city's Web site. Residents are invited to comment on which design they prefer.
"The idea is that the businesses in the area will grow and new businesses will sprout," Eric Whiting, lead architect and designer for The Saratoga Associates said. "The bridge will bring visitors, and visitors help the economy."
Whiting said the structures' depth will provide four feet of soil for the trees to grow to about 15 to 20 feet on either of the two park-over-the-river designs.
Whiting said he prefers the curved bridge, but is interested mainly in which design the community favors.
"I think [the curved bridge is] unique and would create a draw because it would set Amsterdam apart from other places," Whiting said.
The state has allotted $16.5 million for the bridge, secured through the 2005 Transportation Bond Act which set aside $50 million for projects along the Erie Canal.
The idea for the bridge was first conceived in 1996. The plan is to have pedestrians strolling over the Mohawk River by the summer of 2015, with construction bids beginning in September 2012.
The New Paris Shop has been located on East Main Street for more than 80 years, said current owner Phil Iorio. Iorio took over the women's boutique about 30 years ago. She said most of her business is from Albany, Schenectady and Clifton Park, and that New Paris sold more than 1,000 prom dresses last year.
Iorio is unsure if the bridge will bring more people to Amsterdam. She said she would rather see state money go toward revitalizing downtown.
"You have to bring in manufacturing and industry, otherwise people will move out," Iorio said. "I was never for that [Riverlink Park]. I think there are a lot of things they could have spent the money on."
Deborah Auspelmyer, president of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber would like to see some redevelopment in the city's downtown to spotlight downtown businesses.
"If the pedestrian bridge can connect the city and bring people into the area as a tourist destination it could help business in the area," Auspelmyer said.
Anthony Altieri owns Altieri's Auto, an auto repair company on Erie Street. He said he likes the idea of connecting the Riverlink Park with the other side of the city, but doesn't see how it would affect his particular business.
"If we don't take that pedestrian bridge, they'll give it to someone else along the Mohawk River," Altieri said.
U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, secured state funding for the bridge when he was a state assemblyman. Because of the state's fiscal problems some things were stalled, said Sean Shortell, a representative for Tonko.
"It's gone through a couple of years of vetting at the state level," he said. It wasn't until January that the state decided to definitively release the money.
The bridge is the first project to be funded along the Erie Canal through the $50 million that went to Canal Corporation for canal-related projects.
"We're incredibly lucky to have this project funded in our backyard," Shortell said.
Tonko's vision is to make the downtown area more walkable and revitalize some of the shops and restaurants in the vicinity, Shortell said.
He noted that in Poughkeepsie a similar revitalization project has brought 400,000 visitors to the area since September.
"That foot traffic is creating business," Shortell said.
Thane said that so far most of the community prefers the curved bridge. By November 2012, design approval should be 90 percent complete, she said.
Amanda Whistle can be reached at montco@leaderherald.com
