SOUTH FALLSBURG/WOODRIDGE — It took years of fundraising, volunteer work, planning and persistence, but at long last, a once-existing connection in the Sullivan County O&W Rail Trail—the Neversink Crossing—has been relinked, with the new crossing officially opening Thursday afternoon to the excitement of history enthusiasts and community members alike.

The $3.4 million project closes a gap in the O&W Rail Trail between South Fallsburg and Woodridge with a new pedestrian bridge crossing the Neversink River, effectively creating a more than 13-mile route from Mountaindale to Ferndale.

To those who were involved, however, the project represents more than a bridge opening.

“When you look at this bridge, it’s easy to see steel and concrete, but I see something different. I see a community coming together,” stated Town of Fallsburg Supervisor Nathan Steingart.

Indeed, the project was the result of years of cooperative effort between Sullivan County, the Town of Fallsburg, the Sullivan O&W Rail Trail Alliance, volunteers, federal partners and private contributors.

The first section of the O&W Rail Trail opened in 1990, with additional portions slowly being planned, acquired and developed as the years went on.

“The vision was always to connect those pieces and create a trail that connected our community,” Steingart said.

The highlight of the reconnected pathway is the 180-foot-long, 12-foot-wide pedestrian bridge, which utilizes the original stone abutments dating back to the late 1800s. A 50-foot boardwalk leads up to the bridge over the river’s floodplain, while additional trail improvements extend toward the southern entrance of the Fallsburg Tunnel.

Sullivan County Legislature Chair Nadia Rajsz described the area as a potential destination for visitors and residents alike while reflecting on the history behind the railroad corridor.

“Walk, run, bike, take your dog along the path that was the super highway of its day,” Rajsz said, referencing the O&W’s historic role in bringing thousands of summer visitors to the region for more than 80 years.

The New York, Ontario & Western Railway operated for more than 80 years before ceasing operations in 1957 due to being financially uneconomical, according to Sullivan County Historian John Conway in a tour following the ceremony. In the decades since, efforts have continued to preserve portions of the former railroad corridor as a public recreational trail.

One person who has been involved in those efforts for decades is Helen Budrock, who recounted how intimidating plans for recreating the crossing initially appeared.

An early assessment placed the cost of rebuilding the crossing at roughly $1 million. About 20 years later, the completed project came with a $3.4 million price tag.

“At the time, it was considered to be a bridge too far, no pun intended,” stated Budrock.

Those earlier efforts nevertheless helped set the wheels in motion for the project that was ultimately completed this year, with funding and assistance coming from numerous public and private sources.

Budrock also recognized local organizations and volunteers for their work upgrading trailheads and opening additional public access over the years, while municipal crews and contractors handled much of the site preparation for the new crossing.

“It was not an easy road, and literally no one would have thought we could pull it off, but we did,” recounted Budrock.

The completed project establishes a new connection for pedestrians and bicyclists while preserving a physical link to the county’s deep-rooted railroad history.

It’s that greater purpose that Steingart believes makes the crossing significant.

“The bridge isn’t just about getting from one side of the Neversink to the other,” Steingart noted. “It’s about connecting people.”

The newly opened Neversink Crossing can be accessed from the trailhead at 269 River Road in Woodridge or through the South Fallsburg trailhead at 29 Skunk Hollow Road.