Shady Lane, at the entrance to the Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, draws visitors on pleasant summer days. Its nature trails draw hikers, and its proximity to the Esopus Creek is an added attraction. The preserve does not have a parking lot, however, and visitors park along Shady Lane and Appletree Drive, sometimes crossing over residents’ lawns and blocking the roads.
The Saugerties town board took action to ease the congestion and inconvenience to residents at its meeting on Wednesday, June 17, passing Local Law No. 2, which limits parking on one side of Shady Lane for 300 feet from the preserve entrance.
“Shady Lane runs about 300 to 350 feet off Appletree Drive, and it is a narrow lane with a dead-end spot at the end,” councilwoman Leeanne Thornton said. “Since the Covid 19 pandemic began, the street has been packed with vehicles of folks going to Esopus Bend Preserve to go on a hike and basically enjoy the preserve and its facilities. This has led to traffic congestion for the residents of Shady Lane, folks driving on private property, and it led to congestion with cars backing in and backing out.”
Thornton also warned that emergency vehicles could be blocked from the street.
“The recommendation was to have one side of the street have ‘no parking’ signs put up; John Greco, the town attorney, drafted a resolution that limits the parking to one side of the street to a distance of 400 feet. In the process, the highway superintendent, Doug Myer, with the help of the building department, Greg Chorvas’s team, we’re going to paint some parking spaces at the end of the lane, which will help [make it] less confusing; people will know how and where to park.”
The board also unanimously approved Local Law No. 3, prohibiting parking on the north side of Shady Lane within 400 feet of the entrance of Esopus Bend.
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