The New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has announced that after hearing public input, they have decided to only pave about 2.9 miles of the original 4.5 miles for the $325,000 Erie Canalway Trail improvement project announce earlier this month.
On Monday, Sept. 14, the State Parks Department held public meetings to discuss the paving improvement project taking place on the 4.5 mile stretch of the Erie CanalWay Trail from Butternut Drive in DeWitt to Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville. These meetings were hosted by Senator John DeFrancisco and Assemblyman Al Stirpe with regional parks department officials.
“After a healthy and heartfelt discussion it was agreed that the paving improvement project along the Erie Canalway Trail will continue to Manlius Center Road (Route 290) located approximately 2.9 miles from Butternut Drive and just to the east of an accessible ramp at the Manlius Center parking area. The remaining 1.6 mile trail segment from Manlius Center to the footbridge that accesses Green Lakes State Park will remain unpaved and will receive fresh stone treatment,” the State Parks Department said in a Sept. 16 statement. “The newly paved section enhances accessibility along a popular section of the trail, while the remaining section maintains the softer surface preferred by some users.”
The paving project was announced on Sept. 4 and work on it began shortly after, but many residents felt the project was not good for the community and a group protested the work. Additionally, an online change.org petition against the project was signed by more than 1,7000 people.
According to the release the State Parks Department hopes to continue to work with the community and user groups on future improvement projects.
“The meeting between State Parks and citizens of Central New York produced a result that will allow most users, no matter what their activity, to enjoy this historic towpath,” said Ed Griffin, owner of Fleet Feet Syracuse and creator of the change.org petition. “Many interest groups participated and there is a plan in place to form a committee, headed by Assemblyman Al Stirpe, of representatives who use the path and NYS Parks. The committee will discuss both short and long term opportunities and be a resource for NYS Parks.”
Fayetteville Mayor Mark Olson said the two public meetings were held at the Fayetteville Village office on Sept. 14, where residents for and against the paving expressed their opinions of the project.
“I think the issue here was that the public debate never happened,” said Olson at the Sept. 14 Fayetteville Village Board meeting. “The State Parks made the mistake of not listening to the public before the project started.”
