Parks & Trails New York - Canalway Trail Close the Gaps Campaign

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 can we ensure the remaining trail gap segments will be finished, available for public use, and ready to generate maximum tourism dollars.

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. The Canalway Trail cannot realize its full potential as a world-class recreationway until it is finished from Buffalo to Albany as a continuous trail route with kiosks, benches, landscaping, and Biker-Hiker-Boater campsites. Only then will the State and the communities along the corridor reap the full benefit of additional tourism revenues.

Parks & Trails New York recognizes and appreciates the current fiscal challenges and pledges to work with the Thruway Authority, the Canal Corporation and stakeholders throughout the corridor to ensure that the Canalway Trail is completed. Our plan of action is as follows:

Secure funds to complete projects for which substantial funding already exists -- 28 miles **Highest Priority**

8 miles of new Erie Canalway Trail from Ilion to Little Falls, the last remaining unfinished section in more than 50 miles of trail from Ilion in Herkimer County to Amsterdam in Montgomery County - ACCOMPLISHED – FUNDED WITH TOLL CREDITS

20 miles of Erie Canalway trail between Canastota in Madison County and Rome in Oneida County in Old Erie Canal State Park, in need of refurbishment and widening after years of heavy use - ACCOMPLISHED – FUNDED WITH TOLL CREDITS
Secure stimulus funds to complete “ready to go” projects representing - 31 miles
2 miles of refurbished Erie Canalway Trail from City of Schenectady to the Town of Niskayuna – FUNDED by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
7 miles of Erie Canalway Trail between Newark and Lyons in Wayne County, resulting in 100 miles of continuous trail in western New York - FUNDED by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENTS PROGRAm
6 miles of new Erie Canalway Trail from Utica to the Village of Frankfort, resulting in 30 miles of continuous trail in central New York
8 miles of new Erie Canalway trail from Amherst to Lockport, resulting in more than 100 miles of trail in western New York
8 miles of new Erie Canalway trail from Lyons to Clyde, resulting in more than 125 miles of trail in western New York

Through our efforts, these five “ready to go” projects were included in proposals submitted to Congress by national trail and bike advocacy organizations for stimulus funding. In letters to New York’s Congressional delegates and the New York State Department of Transportation, we also argued that these projects represent an investment in a 21st Century transportation system and should be a key element of any federal bill providing for infrastructure funding.

The first meeting Parks & Trails New York will convene will be with representatives of the NYS Thruway Authority; NYS Canal Corporation; Office of the Governor; federal and state elected officials; Empire State Development Corporation; NYS Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation; NYS Department of Transportation; Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission; and the Canalway Trails Association New York (CTANY). Following this key meeting we will convene meetings with community leaders, tourism officials, and other stakeholders to consider the problems created by postponing further work on the Canalway Trail and brainstorm how to finish it.

Three projects received funding from the 2005 NYS Transportation Bond Act but have seen little progress because of the state’s financial crisis. Parks & Trails New York continues to work with the NYS Thruway Authority/NYS Canal Corporation and NYSDOT and local and state elected officials, and CTANY to ensure that these projects are fully funded and steadily progress to completion.

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.
Seek state legislative initiatives for projects without funding

Parks & Trails New York, along with local advocates, will meet with key state Assembly members and Senators to explore the possibility of other funds that could help bring other sections of the Canalway Trail to completion.

The public presently knows little of the decision to defer completion of the Canalway Trail. Parks & Trails New York will continue to seize every opportunity to work with local news media (print, radio, television), community leaders, and trail groups to help foster a clearer understanding of the remaining trail gaps and the need to seek alternative sources of funding and generate public support for the trail’s completion. Parks & Trails New York intends to focus on presenting information and personal stories that illustrate the many economic, tourism, health, and quality of life benefits that the Canalway Trail can bring to Upstate New York.