While work on the Seneca River Trail is underway, there is a new hurdle in development.
The project, which will connect the village of Baldwinsville with Onondaga Lake Park, is partially funded through a state grant (approximately $535,000 with a 20/80 percent match from town and state, respectively). However, new regulations state in order to distribute the funds for phase one of the project, the town needs to obtain the easements for phase two, otherwise the state will not disburse the grant monies. In addition, there are complications because the original trail, which was to run along Hayes Road, was not approved by the county. Town engineers now have to create an alternate route.
Engineer Jim Laird of Barton & Loguidice said the firm plans to follow and share county sewer line easements to create a new trail route that will have minimum impact on residents, but it will cost additional engineering fees to establish. Due to New York State regulations, the grant match will be mostly used for engineering costs such as easements and archaeological findings.
“We can pay for pathway, the state will pay for engineering,” said Councilor Jack Krisanda.
New York State Department of Transportation offered to help obtain easements, which the board may consider for one particular easement in which Supervisor Barry Bullis said an outrageous amount of compensation was being asked for by the property owner.
Upon completion of both the Seneca River Trail and the connector trail for the village of Baldwinsville and town of Lysander, which runs from Lock Street to the town line, one could walk or bicycle from the village of Baldwinsville to the village of Liverpool. The village is also working on completion of the South Shore East Trail, which will connect the village business district with Community Park in Van Buren.
