Looking east along the wooden section of the Dave Clark Path on Saturday afternoon.
Users of Albany’s Dave Clark Riverfront Path found the short wooden section of the route unexpectedly blocked on Saturday.
This section is sometimes called the boardwalk. It’s about 180 feet long and runs under the Ellsworth Street Bridge. On Saturday both ends were blocked with barricades and caution tape.
There was a faint whiff of some kind of chemical, as though the wooden structure had been treated with something. The lumber looked as though it had been stained. And some fine grit seems to have been sprinkled on the walkway.
The wooden planks are slippery when wet, so maybe the treatment was intended to make them less so.
There were no signs alerting walkers or bike riders ahead of time that a section of the path was inaccessible. It was no big deal for most people, but a notice might have saved a couple of women pushing baby strollers from backtracking a long way.
An access across the railroad track near the boardwalk was dismantled last winter as part of the city’s Riverfront Project. Its planned replacement nearby has not yet been built.
There was no way this weekend to learn more about the boardwalk closure. Since I found it closed Saturday, I assume it will remain that way this Sunday, Oct. 13. Keep that in mind if you’re headed that way. (hh)
Postscript: On Monday morning, Oct. 14, the boardwalk was reopened. Rick Barnett of Albany Parks said it was closed last week to let the new stain dry. He also confirmed that some grit was added in hopes of making the wooden planks less slippery during wet winter weather.
I rode my bike there on Thursday and it was already closed.
Also, another metal piece of the renovated boardwalk behind the Avery Mill building was missing.
Thanks for the update. Nice picture. I think there are no comments because we are sick of the waterfront project and the 25 million dollars it cost. It is scandalous, and we have already said it all about the various pieces of it. Now, if we could just get rid of all the Councilors in one fell swoop!
lol not everyone feels the same as the dozen or so regular keyboard curmudgeons on here. Pretty sure four seats on city council are up for election next month. Is your name on the ballot? Oh right
…..so says the biggest, meanest curmudgeon (too nice of a word) of all!!