Bonacic announces 97 byway legislation and regional funding

And a new Revolutionary War Heritage Trail will follow the byway

By DAVID HULSE

PORT JERVIS — The river valley’s state legislators on February 28 introduced the bill that will finalize New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) recommendations that Route 97 be made part of the state’s scenic byway system.

Senator John Bonacic (R-40) came to the southern terminus of Route 97 on March 4 to announce the designation bill to be sponsored by him and Assemblyman Jacob Gunther (DC-98). The bill will include the length of the highway north from Port Jervis to the Delaware/Fremont boundary and from the Town of Hancock/ Village of Hancock boundary to the northern terminus at Route 17.

The legislation resulted from the DOT State Scenic Advisory Board’s January 30 vote to recommend the designation, which in turn was the result of a two-year local planning effort, which was led by Sullivan County Planning Commissioner Alan Sorensen. Sorensen said it was “gratifying” to see immediate state funding resulting from the designation.

He referred to $20,000 in state funding that Bonacic announced to assist byway communities with signage, beautification and printing of informational brochures. The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) will administer the funding.

In addition, Bonacic announced a second year of grant funding, $25,000, for the eight New York, Upper Delaware Council towns for community beautification and improvement projects.

Separately, the senator announced $20,000 for capital improvements to the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance building in Narrowsburg and $10,000 for improvements to Cochecton’s Town Hall community center.

	TRR photo by Tom Kane Senator John Bonacic is pictured at the Park Avenue Observatory on Route 97, overlooking Port Jervis, as he announced the byway designation. (Click for larger image)

Amid scenic roads and parkways, which have separate designations, there are currently 14 scenic byways in the state program and three additional nominees including Route 97.

Route 97 will be an historic trail, as well as a scenic one. In addition to the scenic byway announcement, state officials this week notified local authorities that Fort Decker in Port Jervis, Sullivan County’s Minisink Battleground Park in Highland and the county operated Fort Delaware museum in Narrowsburg have all been designated as sites in Governor Pataki’s Revolutionary War Heritage Trail.

The designation allows site sponsors to participate in a $1 million grant program designed to enhance the preservation and interpretation of historic sites related to the Revolutionary War.