Orange County is moving forward with the next major expansion of the Heritage Trail, with planning and design progressing on a new 2.7-mile section of the popular walking and biking trail.

Known as Segment 3, the project will extend the Heritage Trail from the City of Middletown to Howells in the Town of Wallkill, utilizing an abandoned railroad right-of-way.

Plans call for the construction of a new bicycle and pedestrian path along the 2.7-mile stretch, along with a parking lot and improvements at various street crossings along the route.

The project continues to advance in 2026, with Orange County Transportation Council officials reporting that the design phase is progressing well. County officials have also been meeting with the Parks Department, NYSDOT and businesses in the downtown area to address concerns related to the project.

The county's transportation program shows millions of dollars being allocated toward the project, including federal and local funding for design and construction.

The Heritage Trail has become one of Orange County's major recreational corridors, and the Segment 3 project represents another step toward expanding the trail network and creating additional pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout the county.

While the new section is not located in Monroe, Orange County has separately identified a future connection from Monroe to the Harriman train station as another important link in its broader trail network.