Earlier this week, a hiker on the Appalachian Trail in New York was killed while crossing the Palisades Parkway. Galina Surman, 66, was hit by a car at 11:45 a.m. on November 14, 2021, while she was having a great day on the route with family and friends. Surman was crossing the highway close to Stony Point, which is located at Appalachian Trail mile 1398, which is northbound. After failing life-saving medical procedures, she was declared dead upon the arrival of the police. When the collision occurred, the driver of the car remained at the scene and was not intoxicated. The local police have reported that no charges have been brought.
Despite the 55 mph speed limit, cars routinely drive at 80 mph at the Palisades Parkway road crossing, making it one of the most perilous on the Appalachian Trail. The only warning sign suggesting that walkers may be crossing the road is minuscule. Numerous hikers alerting others of the risks at the road crossing may be found in the comments section of the FarOut app (previously known as Guthook).
Since the AT’s official path crosses four lanes of high-speed traffic in the area, it is commonly described as “playing a real-life game of frogger.” Because of the parkway’s close proximity to New York City, traffic is usually heavy along it. For a long time, hikers have campaigned for an official crossing with flashing lights to warn automobiles of approaching walkers, even though this crossing has been the official trail path for many years. The ATC and local trail groups have not yet released any plans to upgrade the road crossing.
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