Temporary Canal Repairs Completed on Expedited Schedule

For Immediate Release: 7/03/2016

The New York State Canal Corporation today announced that temporary repairs to a section of the Erie Canal, approximately 500 yards west of the Hulberton Lift Bridge in the Town of Murray, have been completed allowing for the Canal to re-open effective immediately, today, July 3, 2016 between the villages of Brockport and Middleport.

“This temporary repair enables the Canal Corporation to re-open the Erie Canal with the least possible impact to the summer boating season, as well as to the local farmers who depend on Canal water for irrigation,” said Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton. “The Erie Canal is an economic engine for tourism and this expedited repair, accomplished through a multi-agency response, gives mariners the opportunity to visit their favorite villages and towns on the Canal without further interruption.”

Engineers from the New York State Department of Transportation developed a temporary repair plan that was executed on an expedited schedule by C.P. Ward of Scottsville, NY.

“I would like to thank the dedicated teams from the DOT and Canal Corporation for coming together to quickly address these emergency repairs,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Matthew J. Driscoll. “The expertise from multiple state agencies helped ensure safety and minimize the need for a long term closure for all users of the canal.”

This section of the Erie Canal provides vital irrigation to 25 farms and two commercial golf courses. The accelerated repairs have allowed for minimal disruption to the agricultural growing season.

“We thank the New York State Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation and the Department of Transportation for their quick response to the situation and for their partnership in identifying a solution that had a minimal impact on the area’s farmers,” said State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball. “There are more than two dozen farms in the region that rely on the Canal for irrigation, so we are grateful repairs have been completed so quickly and efficiently.”

The detour on the Erie Canalway Trail from the Hulberton Lift Bridge to approximately 3,500 feet west of the lift bridge will remain in effective until Tuesday, July 5, 2016.

The Canal Corporation appreciates the public’s patience and understanding while this necessary maintenance work was completed.

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New York’s Canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca. Spanning more than 500 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique and historic communities. The Erie Canalway Trail is a multi-use trail, designed to accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, and cross-country skiers. More than three-quarters of the 365-mile Canalway Trail from Albany to Buffalo is now a dedicated off-road trail, much of it along the canal’s former towpath. Together the canals and trail create a world-class recreationway that is a vibrant, scenic and unique New York resource.

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Contact

Shane Mahar
shane.mahar@thruway.ny.gov
Office of Media Relations and Communications
(518) 471-5300