ALBANY — The Durham Valley Scenic Byway in Greene County has been designated a part of the New York State Scenic Byways System after a bill ed by state Sen. Michelle Hinchey, D-Saugerties, and Assemblyman Chris Tague, R-Schoharie, was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday.
The roadways in the bill, which include 21 miles of road spanning the towns of Durham and Windham, were designated as scenic roads by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 1991, one year before the creation of the New York State Scenic Byways program by the state Legislature.
Hinchey and Tague’s bill inducts the route, which begins at the intersection of Cornwallville Road and County Route 20 in Durham, into the state Scenic Byways program.
“Our bill granting this Scenic Byway designation to the Durham Valley is a victory for Greene County,” Hinchey said. “We have elevated 21 miles of picturesque viewshed across Durham and Windham as a local landmark, which will provide an economic boost to Greene County businesses, enhance preservation efforts and help promote our rural communities as can’t-miss destinations for tourism, culture and commerce. I am very happy to see this bill signed into law and was proud to work with Assemblyman Chris Tague and the Durham Valley Scenic Byway Committee to secure this designation that will help protect our scenic resources and grow Greene County’s rural economy.”
The Durham Byway corridor extends from the northernmost slope of the Catskill Mountains north to Albany and east to the Hudson River Valley. Officials hope that the designation in the state Scenic Byways program will boost tourism to the region and expand access to federal grants to help develop the byway.
“Hopefully this will bring tourists to the area to be able to see everything that we have to offer,” Tague said Monday.
Tague said he began work on the bill with former state Sen. George Amedore and continued the push for the bill when Hinchey was elected in November 2020.
“When she got elected, Michelle and I had a meeting and I went through all of the things that George and I had been working on together and we thought between the two of us that this would be important for the area to help showcase the Durham Valley and beyond,” Tague said.
Tague credited the residents of the two towns for pushing the state to get the designation passed.
“If you drive Route 145 from Schoharie County all the way to Greene County and then go up Route 23, you won’t find a more beautiful landscape than that drive,” Tague said on Monday.
Durham Valley Scenic Byway Coordinating Committee Member Richard Goldstein cheered the news of the bill’s signing and noted the contributions to the cause by former Scenic Byway Coordinating Committee member Barry Garfinkel, who died last August.
“On behalf of the Durham Valley Scenic Byway Coordinating Committee, I would like to thank Sen. Hinchey and Assemblyman Tague for sponsoring this legislation,” Goldstein said in a statement. “This legislation will provide important benefits to the roads’ travelers and the Durham community, including economic benefits from tourism, potential access to federal grants to improve the byway, and qualification to apply for National Scenic Byway designation.”
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