Federal highway bill includes
support for Erie Canalway Corridor initiatives

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has secured $800,000 in federal funds to develop an identity and signage program that will let residents and visitors know when they are in the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. Funding for this and other Erie Canalway related projects was included in the transportation bill passed by Congress on July 29.

Other Erie Canalway related projects funded in the transportation bill include:

•$2.6 million for restoration work for the "Flight of Five" locks in Lockport

•$1.2 million to restore the Erie Canal Aqueduct in downtown Rochester

•$1 million to develop access from the Thruway to historic remnants of the Erie Canal in Port Byron

•$480,000 to restore a historic warehouse on the Erie Canal in the Town of Lyons

•$400,000 for exhibits at the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse

•$240,000 for Erie Canal projects in Orleans County

"The Erie Canal is a source of great pride for all of us in New York and indeed in the nation and these investments will help us move even closer to making it a world-class tourist destination," said Senator Clinton, who has been a major supporter of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and who recently secured $700,000 for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission in the Fiscal Year 2006 Interior Appropriations Bill. "These federal investments are an important part of our ongoing efforts to promote the Canal and it is exciting to see so many projects being undertaken by our canal communities. This is further proof of our commitment to promoting the incredible heritage opportunities presented by the Canal while stimulating economic development through tourism and recreation."

Congressman Thomas Reynolds was able to secure $2.6 million for the City of Lockport to restore one of the most important historical resources in the canal system. "The restoration of the locks in the "Flight of Five" will allow us to preserve this engineering marvel for future generations and to develop this site into a premier tourist destination that will bring economic benefits to the City of Lockport and the region," Reynolds said. The Congressman also secured $240,000 for Orleans County to work on Canal related projects. "The Erie Canalway has always had an important role in Western New York," said Reynolds. "We look forward to working with local officials and the Erie Canalway Corridor Commission on projects that link our region to this important national story."

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter secured $1.2 million in federal funds for the City of Rochester toward construction of an enclosed passageway inside the historic Erie Canal aqueduct crossing over the Genesee River in downtown Rochester.

In December 2000, Congress passed Public Law 106-554, Title VIII, establishing the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and designating a federally appointed 27-member Commission to oversee preparation and implementation of a Preservation and Management Plan, with National Park Service assistance. The draft plan was released for public comment on June 29, 2005.

The National Heritage Corridor, spanning 524 miles of the current New York State Canal System and original alignments, encompasses 4,834 square miles in 23 counties and includes 234 municipalities immediately adjacent to the Erie, Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca and Champlain Canals, and Cayuga, Seneca and Oneida Lakes.