Tioga Construction of Herkimer County recently finished building a new 2.4-mile section of the Empire State Trail in Herkimer County between Erie Canal Lock E-18 in Jacksonburg and State Route 167 in Little Falls. The $3.3 million project was funded by the Empire State Trail, New York Power Authority, and the New York State Canal Corporation. […]
Tioga Construction of Herkimer County recently finished building a new 2.4-mile section of the Empire State Trail in Herkimer County between Erie Canal Lock E-18 in Jacksonburg and State Route 167 in Little Falls.
The $3.3 million project was funded by the Empire State Trail, New York Power Authority, and the New York State Canal Corporation. The work began during the summer of 2019.
This new section fills a gap in the trail allowing users to travel between Fort Herkimer Church and Little Falls on “one continuous off-road path,” the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a Nov. 20 news release.
The Lock E-18 to Route 167 trail is one of four Canal Corporation projects in the Mohawk Valley that are helping to close a nearly 20-mile gap in the trail system.
“Stretching from New York City to both Western New York and the North Country, the Empire State Trail not only allows users to experience New York’s natural beauty, but provides a window into the history of many of the state’s distinct regions as well,” Cuomo said. “Set alongside the iconic Erie Canal, this new section will give New Yorkers and visitors alike the opportunity to experience the rich history, heritage and culture of the Mohawk Valley as they travel through the heart of the region.”
As part of the Empire State Trail system, the Erie Canalway Trail connects communities, “drives tourism, and boosts local economies along New York’s iconic Erie Canal,” Cuomo’s office said.
This 10-foot wide, 2.4-mile-long asphalt pathway spans across land owned by the New York State Canal Corporation, New York State Department of Transportation, and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.
Cuomo announced the Empire State Trail in January 2017. When completed, the Empire State Trail will be the “longest multi-use state trail in the nation.” The Empire State Trail provides a safe place for outdoor recreation while supporting tourism and community revitalization across the state, the state contends.
“The Empire State Trail is a staple of New York State tourism, and with these upgrades, it will serve as a resource for generations to come [offering] … an expanded option for outdoor recreation,” Andy Beers, director of the Empire State Trail, said in the release.