ERIE CANALWAY TRAIL – A CAMPAIGN TO CLOSE THE GAPS!

Extending 524 miles across New York, the Canalway Trail system brings economic, public health, tourism, and quality of life benefits to the more than one million New Yorkers living in upstate canal communities.  The most popular leg of the system, the Erie Canalway Trail, is growing in popularity and is on its way to becoming a premier tourist destination for cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts.  

In 2002, the State committed $35 million for completion of the 348-mile Erie Canalway Trail and pledged to finish it by 2010.  Recently, citing declining toll revenues, inflation and the state of the economy, the New York State Thruway Authority has deferred construction of the remaining unfinished sections of trail within the Canalway Trail system.  There is now no target completion date or timetable for when work might resume.  Without an announced new timetable for completion and with Thruway Authority revenues continuing to decline, the question is how to ensure the remaining trail gap segments will be finished, available for public use, and ready to generate maximum tourism dollars for New York State.

We estimate that it would take about $30 million to complete the Erie Canalway Trail and another $25 million to complete the other elements of the system, the Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail, the Oswego Canal Trail, and the Champlain Canal Trail. 

PARKS & TRAILS NEW YORK PLAN OF ACTION

Since 1998, Parks & Trails New York has been working in conjunction with the NYS Canal Corporation to help plan, design, construct, and promote the Canalway Trail System.  We realize these are difficult economic times, but the Canalway Trail cannot attain its full potential as a world-class recreationway until it is finished.  The payback for this investment will be enormous as inns, B&Bs, restaurants, and bike shops open and Upstate New York communities experience a rebirth.

Parks & Trails New York recognizes and appreciates the current fiscal challenges and pledges to work with the Thruway Authority, the Canal Corporation, our federal and state legislators, and stakeholders throughout the corridor to ensure that the Canalway Trail is completed.  Our major emphasis is:

Help secure funds to complete 30 miles of Erie Canalway trail for which planning and design already exists

  • 8 miles of trail from Ilion to Little Falls in Herkimer County, the last remaining unfinished section in more than 50 miles of trail from Ilion in Herkimer County to Amsterdam in Montgomery County

  • 6 miles of trail from the City of Utica in Oneida County to the Village of Frankfort in Herkimer County, resulting in 30 miles of continuous trail in central New York

  • 8 miles of trail from Amherst in Erie County to Lockport in Niagara County, resulting in more than 100 miles of trail in western New York

  • 8 miles of trail from Lyons to Clyde in Wayne County, resulting in more than 125 miles of trail in western New York

Ensure that three 2005 NYS Transportation Bond Act trail projects, representing 20 miles of trail, are completed

Three projects received funding but have seen little progress because of the state’s financial crisis.

  • 4 miles of new Erie Canalway Trail in Rome in Oneida County

  • 8 miles of new Champlain Canal Trail between Fort Edward and Fort Ann in Washington County

  • 8 miles of Erie Canalway Trail between Pittsford and Fairport in Monroe County that is heavily used and in need of refurbishment and widening.

Secure use of an easement from CSX for future trail through Syracuse

One of the biggest obstacles to completing the Erie Canalway Trail is finding a trail route through the City of Syracuse.  As New York advocates for restoring a third track in the CSXT rail corridor to realize high-speed rail service between Albany and Buffalo, we have asked the New York State Department of Transportation to also consider securing use of an easement for future trail use at a safe distance from the closest track in the corridor between Camillus and Dewitt (Mileposts 298 to 286) as part of their negotiations with CSX.

  

 
           
 

29 Elk Street * Albany, NY 12207 * (ph) 518-434-1583 * (fax) 518-427-0067 * ptny@ptny.org