People walking to Breakneck Ridge on busy Route 9D with parked cars, passing cars, and greenery in the background.
Groups of people walking across busy Route 9D toward Breakneck Ridge, with cars parked on the side, and oncoming traffic down the road.

the Breakneck/Route 9D Corridor is currently Hazardous for hikers and motorists…

Three pedestrians walking alongside the rocky roadside of Route 9D with autumn foliage, as a red convertible car passes by on the road.
People walking in the road (Route 9D), which is lined with parked cars and surrounded by autumn trees.
Long line of people walking toward Breakneck along busy Route 9D. These people have just disembarked the train. There are bare trees and mountains in the background.
Traffic jam on Route 9D with orange construction cones, cars lined up, people walking on the side, and trees in the background.
Group of people with backpacks and a dog standing near the roadside of Route 9D, with parked cars, cars passing by, a port-a-potty, and surrounded by trees and a blue sky with clouds.

But, Coming in 2027…

The Fjord Trail’s Breakneck connector and bridge will make the area safer, improve accessibility, organize parking, and More…

Concept rendering of planned improvements at Breakneck Ridge: Park with people, trees, and a train passing by a river; background includes mountains and a sunny sky.
Concept rendering of planned improvements at Breakneck Ridge: Scenic outdoor area with paths, people walking and cycling, small restroom buidlings, and greenery. Background of trees and hills under a clear sky.
Concept rendering of planned improvements at Breakneck Ridge train station: Pedestrian path lined with trees and plants, people walking and cycling, parked cars, sunny day.
Concept rendering of planned improvements at Breakneck Ridge: Scenic landscape with walking trail, autumn trees, and water view.
Concept rendering of planned improvements at Breakneck Ridge: A couple walking on a tree-lined pathway near a river with a bridge in the background.
Concept rendering of planned improvements at Breakneck Ridge: Scenic autumn landscape showing the Hudson River, forested hills in fall colors, a footbridge, and kayakers on the water.

Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Inc. IS working with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Metro-North Railroad; NYC Department of Environmental Protection; and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference to bring you the Breakneck Connector and Bridge.

IMPROVEMENTS will INCLUDE:

  • a new and improved off-road pathway to get hikers off of the highway

  • off-road parking areas to the west of Route 9D and formalization and reduction of parallel parking on the east side of 9D

  • ADA-compliant restrooms, trash and recycling receptacles, an information kiosk, and a bike tune-up station

  • complete renovation of the Metro-North Breakneck Ridge train station

  • removal of invasive vegetation and replanting with native plants, including 2,080 shrubs, 430 trees, and thousands of additional pollinator-friendly flowering plants.

  • the Breakneck Bridge—a route over the train tracks for both trail users and the Department of Environmental Protection

  • enhanced crosswalks and wayfinding signage

  • improved access for first responders

  • The Connector and Bridge will meet Accessibility Guidelines for Federal Outdoor Developed Areas (AGODA) standards, providing increased access to the river and views of Storm King Mountain via a new Lower Overlook at the foot of Breakneck Ridge.

Watch this video to learn more

Brad Howe, Principal at SCAPE Landscape Architecture gives an overview of upcoming work in the Breakneck corridor.

What work has already been done?

Visit Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail’s website to learn about improvements that have already been made at Breakneck Ridge!

What is THE FJORD TRAIL?

The Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail is a proposed linear park, spanning 7.5 walkable, bikeable, rollable miles between New York’s Village of Cold Spring and City of Beacon. Striving to make the beauty of the Hudson Highlands more accessible to people of all ages and abilities and create a safe connection to the river and area trailheads, the project will also provide much-needed amenities to help manage current and future visitation to the region. The Breakneck Connector and Bridge, located in the Highlands zone of the proposed trail, would link the Shoreline zone to the south with the Forest zone to the north.

Aerial view of a landscape withriver adjacent to a wooded area, labeled with features: Accessible Main Trail, MNR Train Platform, Stormwater Improvements, Native Planting, Restrooms & Areas to Prepare for a Hike, Designated Parking Areas & Pedestrian Safety Improvements, Connector to the Breakneck Trailhead Improvements & Steward Station, Breakneck Bridge, Upper Overlook.

Where can you hike during the closure?