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The Canalway Trail offers recreational opportunities amidst the breathtaking scenery of Upstate New York
Canalway T R A I L Winter 2016-17
T I M E S Issue #41
Governor Cuomo announces creation of 750-mile Empire State Trail In his 2017 Executive Budget proposal, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a major commitment to close the gaps in the Erie and Champlain Canalway Trail. The announcement was part of a larger initiative called the Empire State Trail, a 750-mile trail that will link Buffalo to Albany via the Erie Canalway Trail and New York City to the Canadian Border via the Hudson River Valley Greenway, Champlain Canalway Trail, and enhancements to NYS Bike Route 9. His plan calls for a $200 million investment, including $77 million for the Erie Canalway Trail alone, to complete the nation’s longest multi-use trail network by 2020. The three-phase project will focus on completing the Erie and Champlain Canalway Trails, connecting a regional trail network to build the Hudson River Valley Greenway, and making on-road enhancements along the route where necessary. The work is expected to begin this year. Governor Cuomo’s announcement is an important step in completing the 360-mile Erie Canalway Trail, which is now approximately 80% complete between Buffalo and Albany, and connecting the Champlain Canalway Trail, which is currently comprised of several fragmented segments between Waterford and
Whitehall. Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) and the Canalway Trails Association New York (CTANY) have been working since 2011 on a campaign to Close the Gaps in the Erie Canalway Trail. Advocates point to significant health, economic, and environmental benefits for the more than 200 communities located between Buffalo and Albany that will come from trail completion. While the scale of the announcement may have seemed like a surprise, the progress that the Governor’s administration has made over the past five years has accelerated the Erie Canalway Trail’s rise to the status as one of the nation’s premier outdoor recreational destinations and one of the nation’s longest multi-use trails. Once the Empire State Trail is complete in 2020, the Erie Canalway Trail’s 360 miles will be a feature attraction and premier destination for outdoor recreation and heritage tourism. The 1.6 million annual visits that Parks & Trails New York and the NYS Canal Corporation estimate happen on the Erie Canalway Trail will surely grow once a completely off-road route between Buffalo and Albany is open. Stay tuned as more details about this exciting announcement are released.