Wheeled vehicles powered by humans, not steam engines, may again be able to traverse the Old Putnam Trail in Van Cortlandt Park.  But not anytime soon.

Two community boards are considering a controversial $2.5 million proposal to redesign the trail by adding a 10-foot wide asphalt surface and 3-foot wide jogging trail. The trail, once the New York Central Railroad line, cuts through the center of Van Cortlandt Park, from its southern border, north to the city line with Yonkers.

In 2013, a plan to redo the trail was rejected by Community Board 8 of Riverdale/Kingsbridge.  The park is designated as a “joint interest area” for that board and Community Body 7 and Community Board 12.  CB12 is deferring to the other two boards to decide the issue.

The new proposal was presented by New York City Department of Parks to CB 8 Parks’ committee at its meeting on Jan. 27.  About 100 people packed the room to express their opinions, with members hearing from neighbors, environmentalists, birders, hikers, bicyclists, and those in wheelchairs. The full board of CB 8 is expected to vote at its monthly meeting on Feb. 9.  The following day, CB 7’s Parks’ committee will hear a similar presentation.

Key details of the redesign include a gently sloping, elevated asphalt surface that would curve to follow the rail bed, forcing bicyclists to slow down.  Some of the trail would be raised on piers to protect the roots of trees. The new plan would require 25 percent less site disturbance and 50 percent less excavation of parkland.  A vegetated border along two-thirds of the trail’s length would capture and filter stormwater runoff from the asphalt.

The defunct rail line (known as “Old Put”) carried passengers and freight from New York City to Brewster from the 1870s until the late 1950s.

From the Yonkers line north, Westchester County converted the former railroad bed into two paved, protected routes (South County and North County Trailways) extending continuously for over 35 miles to Yorktown Heights, connecting with a 12-mile extension to Brewster at the county line. Trails were completed by 2014.

The 1.25-mile Van Cortlandt Park trail section is now hard dirt surrounded by wetlands, 40-year-old trees, shrubs, birds and mammals.  Hikers and mountain bikers use it regularly, but travel is difficult for those in wheelchairs.  After a heavy rain, the trail becomes virtually impassable.

Under the plan, some railroad ties laded with creosote, considered toxic, will remain in place, to avoid further spread of toxins.  Environmental concerns about creosote and asphalt runoff must be adequately addressed for the Department of Environmental Conservation to issue permits allowing work to begin.

If community board approval occurs, Parks hopes to apply for permits by summer 2016.