Canalway Trail Recently Completed Projects

Onondaga and Cayuga Counties
Port Byron to Jordan

Construction of an eight-mile Canalway Trail segment in Onondaga and Cayuga Counties. The trail between Schasel Park in Port Byron and Route 31 in Jordan links to a newly constructed Canalway Trail segment between Jordan and Camillus creates a 20-mile bike and hike path adjacent to the Old Erie Canal between Camillus and Port Byron.

The $1.35 million project was funded with Federal Transportation Enhancement funds administered by the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT).

The project features a 10-foot wide crushed limestone surface trail. Informational sign kiosks were installed at the trailhead in Schasel Park, Centerport Aqueduct Park in Weedsport, and at Old Erie Canal Lock 51 near Jordan. A new pedestrian bridge was constructed to carry the trail over Cold Spring Brook at the site of the Centerport Aqueduct.

The project was developed in partnership with Onondaga County, the Town of Brutus and the Villages of Jordan, Weedsport and Port Byron. Construction began in April 2006 and was completed in November 2007.

Wayne County
Palmyra to Newark

The construction of eight miles of new Canalway Trail between Bridge Street in Palmyra and the Arcadia town line (west of Newark), Wayne County will link to an existing segment from Palmyra to Lockport.

A 10-foot wide crushed limestone trail was developed on lands adjacent to the north side of the Erie Canal. Included in the project, benches, kiosks and informational exhibit panels and trail blazers were installed.

The project began in April 2005 and was completed in June 2007.

Federal TEA-21 Transportation Enhancement funds were used for this $2.2 million project.

Monroe County
Long Pond Road in Greece to Lock 32 in Pittsford

Approximately 9 miles of Canalway Trail in Monroe County were reconstructed between Long Pond Road in Greece and Lock 32 in Pittsford.

During the reconstruction, the Canal Corporation resurfaced the existing Trail with asphalt and widened it to 10-12 feet. The reconstruction has made rollerblading and bicycling much more enjoyable along the canal. In addition to an improved surface and width, benches, picnic tables, new kiosks and informational exhibit panels will be installed along the Trail.

Federal TEA-21 Transportation Enhancement funds were used for this $1.55 million project.

Onondaga County
Camillus to Jordan

The Canal Corporation has rehabilitated 11 miles of the Canalway Trail between Devoe Road in Camillus and Route 31 in Jordan.

Benches, new kiosks and informational exhibit panels and a trail blazer have been installed along the eight-to-10-feet-wide crushed limestone trail.

The project began in April 2005 and was completed in June 2006.

Federal TEA-21 Transportation Enhancement funds were used for the $1.3 million rehabilitation project.

Montgomery & Herkimer Counties
Minden to Little Falls

The construction of nine miles of new Trail between Minden (Montgomery County) and Little Falls (Herkimer County) created more than 40 miles of continuous Trail in Montgomery and Herkimer Counties.

The new 10-foot wide trail, constructed primarily along the abandoned West Shore Railroad which parallels the Erie Canal, includes kiosks, informational exhibit panels and directional signage.

Construction on the project began in 2004.

Federal TEA-21 Transportation Enhancement funds were used for the $1.7 million project.

Tonawanda to Amherst

Work began in July 2007 on the Tonawanda to Amherst Canalway Trail segment in Erie County. Ed Bauer Construction from Blasdell, New York constructed the 3.5-mile project. The $1 million project was funded with a combination of New York State Canal Corporation and Federal Transportation Enhancement funds and was developed in partnership with Erie County, which administered the design and construction.

The trail between the City of Tonawanda line and Sweet Home Road in Amherst helps fill in a missing four-mile segment of the Canalway Trail in Tonawanda and Amherst and helps complete the Canalway Trail in the western part of the state. Work was adjacent to the Erie Canal extending along Creekside Drive from the City of Tonawanda line through Ellicott Creek Park and along Old Niagara Falls Blvd. to Tonawanda Creek Road. Another portion of the project extends the existing Canalway Trail in Amherst from Sweet Home Road to Vine Lane.

At the mid point of the proposed trail route, it connects with the existing Ellicott Creek Trail, which runs for approximately six miles in a southeasterly direction along the State University of New York at Buffalo north campus to the terminus at North Forest Road near Maple Road.

The project primarily consisted of constructing an off-road multi-use trail adjacent to the Erie Canal. A shared use link was developed along Creekside Drive. The trail is ten-feet wide with an asphalt surface to accommodate a wide variety of users from walkers and joggers to in-line skaters and bicyclists. A number of enhancements were provided for trail users, including directional signs and an interpretive kiosk that provides information about the Canal System in New York State. There are also enhancements to existing parking areas making them handicapped accessible. Benches located at numerous locations provide places to rest and view the canal. The project was completed in July 2008.