Taking The Scenic Route: Senator Murphy's $50,000 Grant Paves The Way For New Walkway In Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow, NY - The Village of Sleepy Hollow first gained its reputation as one of the Hudson Valley's most popular tourist haunts through a short story written about the Headless Horseman, a wraith who scourers the countryside terrorizing villagers. Today, Sleepy Hollow is equally renowned for notable landmarks such as the Philipsburg Manor House as well as the natural beauty of its many parks and walkways that overlook the Hudson River.
 
An avid outdoorsman, Senator Terrence Murphy has traveled the village's walkways and has come to appreciate Sleepy Hollow's quiet allure. Seeking to improve one of the village's pedestrian routes, Senator Murphy has provided a $50,000 grant for the construction of a concrete walkway along Riverside Drive.
 
"This walkway will provide a scenic link between two of Sleepy Hollow's larger residential neighborhoods and serve as a convenient route for pedestrians and bicyclists," said Senator Murphy. "Riverside Drive has a fantastic view of the Hudson River. In addition to being able to handle heavy foot traffic, the new walkway will add beauty and charm to an already breathtaking part of the village."

 
 
Sleepy Hollow Mayor Kenneth Wray stated, "This walkway will make the daily experience so much nicer for everyone from commuters to dog walkers to families with strollers. It looks great now, but I can't wait for this time next year when the new plantings have matured. This is just going to get better and better with time."
 
The new walkway will be 5 feet wide and 1,766 in length and will run from the western side of Riverside Drive near the Metro-North Philipse Manor railway station to Freemont Pond, covering a heavily used route used by residents commuting into New York City. This is also the primary route to the Philipse Manor Beach Club, whose members, particularly children often walk. Currently, there is no sidewalk in that area, just an uneven grassy strip. Pedestrians have found the grassy path to be unsafe because drivers rushing to catch their trains tend to hug the road.
 
Sleepy Hollow adopted a Complete Streets Policy in 2016, which recognizes the importance of creating streets that are safe to be traveled by all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers of various types of vehicles, and riders or public transportation.