FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2007
CANAL CORPORATION AND ERIE COUNTY ANNOUNCE CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON ERIE CANALWAY TRAIL FROM TONAWANDA TO AMHERST
3.5 mile Project Will Help Complete Erie Canalway Trail in Western NY
The New York State Canal Corporation and Erie County
announced today that work will begin this June on a 3.5-mile segment of the Erie
Canalway Trail from Tonawanda to Amherst.
The new Trail segment, between the City of Tonawanda line and Sweet Home Road in
Amherst, will connect nearly 90 miles of continuous trail and help complete the
Canalway Trail in Western New York.
Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation, said,
“This latest trail project in Western New York is yet another step forward in
the completion of the Canalway Trail. The Canalway Trail is a tremendous
resource for canal communities and the State, as it encourages recreation,
tourism and economic development throughout the entire Canal corridor. We are
pleased to work in partnership with Erie County to make this project a success.”
Erie County Executive Joel A. Giambra said, “The Canal Corporation’s pursuit of
a continuous recreational trail along the Canal in New York State is a great
challenge, and New York State is doing a fine job implementing the project. The
pathway will provide a direct link with the Erie County Riverwalk and allow
users to bike from downtown Buffalo all the way to the County’s Ellicott Creek
Park.”
Trail work will be adjacent to the Erie Canal extending along Creekside Drive
from the City of Tonawanda line through Ellicott Creek Park and along Old
Niagara Falls Boulevard to Tonawanda Creek Road. Another portion of the project
will extend the existing Canalway Trail in Amherst from Sweet Home Road to Vine
Lane.
At the mid-point of the proposed trail route, it will connect 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 will primarily consist of constructing an off-road multi-use trail
adjacent to the Erie Canal. A shared use link will be developed along Creekside
Drive. The trail will be ten-foot 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 will be provided for trail users, including
directional signs and an interpretive kiosk that will provide information about
the Canal System in New York State. There will also be enhancements to existing
parking areas making them handicapped accessible. Benches will be located at
numerous locations to provide a place to rest and a view.
Ed Bauer Construction from Blasdell, New York is constructing the 3.5-mile
project. The $1 million project is funded with a combination of New York State
Canal Corporation and Federal Transportation Enhancement funds and is being
developed in partnership with Erie County, which is administering the design and
construction.
With nearly 260 miles of trail constructed, the Erie Canalway Trail is
two-thirds complete. The Canalway Trail will eventually encompass more than 348
miles of contiguous multi-use trail, connecting Lake Erie and the City of
Buffalo to the Hudson River. When completed, the Canalway Trail will be the
longest multi-use recreational trail in the U.S.
The latest Canalway Trail construction information can be obtained online.
Information such as project lengths and limits, construction schedules,
amenities, and information on trail closures can be assessed at http://www.nyscanals.gov/exvac/trail/construction.html
.
For more information on the Canalway Trail and New York State Canal System,
please call 1-800-4CANAL4 or visit the Corporation’s website at:
www.nyscanals.gov.
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The New York State Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation offers a free email service called TRANSalert to its customers via email or text messaging to inform them of major incidents and emergencies that may affect travel on the Thruway or navigation on the Canal System. To sign up for the Canal TRANSalert service, customers can visit the Corporation's website at www.nyscanals.gov/tas/. To sign-up for Thruway TRANSalerts please visit the Authority's website at www.nysthruway.gov/tas/.