For Immediate Release: 4/25/18

ALBANY--The New York State Canal Corporation will hold a public information meeting in Utica to discuss a proposed construction project for the Erie Canalway Trail in Utica and the town of Schuyler.

The meeting will be held at the North Utica Senior Citizens Community Center located at 50 Riverside Drive in Utica on May 2, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Its purpose is to obtain comments on the project from individuals, groups, officials and local agencies regarding its social, economic and environmental effects.

The Canal Corporation is progressing design studies for the construction of a 3.7 miles- long shared-use path from Aqua Vino Restaurant in Utica to Dyke Road in Schuyler. The western portion of the trail will be located on the south bank of the Erie Canal for a half mile from Harbor Lock Road (at Aqua Vino) to Leland Avenue. The trail utilizes the Leland Avenue Bridge to cross over the canal. East of Leland Avenue, the trail will be on the canal's north bank for about 3 miles to Dyke Road.

This project is a segment of the Erie Canalway Trail project from Utica to Ilion. Funding is being provided under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Empire State Trail program. When finished in 2020, the Empire State Trail, which will include the Erie Canalway Trail, will offer a 750-mile multi-use trail network, the largest system of its kind in the U.S.

The project will include a 10-foot-wide asphalt path and new signage and amenities, which could include informational kiosks, rest areas, picnic tables and benches.

Further information may be obtained from the Canalway Trail Project Manager, Dave Taillon, P.E., at david.taillon@canals.ny.gov

About the New York State Canal Corporation

New York's canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca. Spanning 524 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. In 2018, New York is celebrating the bicentennial of the start of the Erie Canal's construction.

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Contact

Steven Gosset
Steven.Gosset@nypa.gov
Media Relations
(914) 390-8192