This change will impact most who plan to head to the Walkway Over the Hudson for next week's beautiful weather.

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Walkway Over the Hudson officials are announcing that the Poughkeepsie entrance will be closed most of next week due to construction.

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As construction continues on the East Gate Plaza, access on the Poughkeepsie side of Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park will be limited from Monday, April 26 through Thursday, April 29. On these dates, the bridge deck itself will not be accessible from Poughkeepsie, however, it will be accessible from the Highland approach.

The Dutchess Welcome Center, its indoor restrooms, and adjacent parking lots will remain open. For construction and paving crews to operate safely and complete their work as quickly as possible, access in the park will be blocked from near the Welcome Center to the East (Elevator) Overlook on the bridge. The elevator is closed to respect social distancing requirements. The Washington Street Stairs will also be closed. Guests entering the park from the west entrance will be required to turn around at the East Overlook. Closure dates are subject to change due to inclement weather.

All welcome centers and restrooms remain open in both Poughkeepsie and Highland.

Patrons seeking passage across the river during this disruption in service are encouraged to utilize the mapped Walkway Loop Trail. This 4.4-mile loop winds through the City of Poughkeepsie and crosses over the Hudson River via a designated pedestrian pathway on the Mid-Hudson Bridge before passing through Johnson-Iorio Park to the Ulster approach to Walkway Over the Hudson.

Both the William R. Steinhaus Dutchess Rail Trail in Dutchess County and the Hudson Valley Rail Trail in Ulster County will remain open with no disruptions.

When complete, the East Gate Plaza project will more than double the available space atop the Washington Street Stairs just outside the Poughkeepsie gates. It will create a natural gathering space for visitors and a less-crowded pathway for everyone, officials say.

The hallmark of the East Gate Plaza is the construction of a structure to include a walk-in space for guests to purchase Walkway souvenirs and New York State-made products, improved access to sundries, snacks, drinks, and other items, and a covered pavilion with audio/visual capabilities to support events, tours, and special programs.

Additional benefits of the project include more seating, landscaping, and the replacement of a decaying retaining wall from the bridge’s original construction in the 1880s.

Construction on the East Gate Plaza is expected to be completed in May 2021.

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