Champlain Champlain Canalway TrailCanalway Trail

Action PlanAction Plan

A Guide A Guide

for Communitiesfor Communities

The Canalway Trail The Canalway Trail SystemSystem

►ErieErie►ChamplainChamplain►OswegoOswego►Cayuga-Cayuga-

SenecaSeneca

Champlain Canalway Champlain Canalway Trail Working GroupTrail Working Group

► Lakes to Locks PassageLakes to Locks Passage► Town of HalfmoonTown of Halfmoon► Town of Fort EdwardTown of Fort Edward► Hudson Crossing Park Inc.Hudson Crossing Park Inc.► Saratoga County Snowmobile Saratoga County Snowmobile

AssnAssn► Washington County Assn of Washington County Assn of

Snowmobile ClubsSnowmobile Clubs► Washington County Planning Washington County Planning

DeptDept► Warren County Planning DeptWarren County Planning Dept► Saratoga PLANSaratoga PLAN► Saratoga National Historical Saratoga National Historical

ParkPark► Agricultural Stewardship AssnAgricultural Stewardship Assn

► NYS Canal CorporationNYS Canal Corporation► Hudson River Valley GreenwayHudson River Valley Greenway► Parks & Trails New YorkParks & Trails New York► NYS Dept of TransportationNYS Dept of Transportation► Adirondack / Glens Falls Adirondack / Glens Falls

Transportation CouncilTransportation Council► Feeder Canal AllianceFeeder Canal Alliance► NYS Office of Parks, Recreation NYS Office of Parks, Recreation

and Historic Preservationand Historic Preservation► Erie Canalway National Erie Canalway National

Heritage CorridorHeritage Corridor

Assistance provided by the National Park Service Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program www.nps.gov/rtca

Our Goal:Our Goal:►Complete and promote an Complete and promote an

attractive and continuous route attractive and continuous route for the Champlain Canalway Trail for the Champlain Canalway Trail from Waterford to Whitehall, from Waterford to Whitehall, including:including: historic towpathshistoric towpaths community attractionscommunity attractions on-street bicycle routeson-street bicycle routes part of a regional trail networkpart of a regional trail network

Our Approach:Our Approach:► Local trail “open house” workshopsLocal trail “open house” workshops

Identify issues & opportunities Identify issues & opportunities Find ways communities can capture trail benefitsFind ways communities can capture trail benefits Define trail route(s)Define trail route(s)

► ““Bicycles Bring Business” workshopsBicycles Bring Business” workshops► Champlain Canalway Trail “Action Plan”Champlain Canalway Trail “Action Plan”

Local and regional actionLocal and regional action

► Exploring ways to raise the profile of the Exploring ways to raise the profile of the trailtrail Events & promotionsEvents & promotions

► Encouraging local Canalway Trail projectsEncouraging local Canalway Trail projects

Why an action plan & why Why an action plan & why now?now?

►Take advantage of Take advantage of opportunitiesopportunities

►Locally-driven; “help Locally-driven; “help ourselves”ourselves”

►Identify ways to work Identify ways to work togethertogether

What are potential trail What are potential trail benefits benefits

in your community?in your community?

Alternative Alternative transportationtransportation

Better healthBetter health

Close-to-home recreationClose-to-home recreation

Trail events

Bicycle Bicycle tourismtourism

Fishing & boating accessFishing & boating accessLink business to Link business to historic sites & other historic sites & other attractionsattractions

Trailside artTrailside art

Boost real estate values Boost real estate values

Attract visitor Attract visitor spending to our spending to our communities communities

Outdoor experiences for kidsOutdoor experiences for kids

Safe routes to schoolsSafe routes to schools

Walkable communitiesWalkable communities

Local or regional Local or regional trail & canal trail & canal festivalfestival

Snowmobiles bring businessSnowmobiles bring business

Preserve Preserve historic historic featuresfeatures

Trail Studies in New York Trail Studies in New York

►Economic benefits to Economic benefits to communitiescommunities

►Trail user surveysTrail user surveys►Property owners’ Property owners’

attitudesattitudes►Impacts on real estateImpacts on real estate►Trail safety Trail safety

Trail Marketing in New Trail Marketing in New YorkYork►Erie Canal Erie Canal

Cycling guideCycling guide►Inn-to-Inn Inn-to-Inn

TouringTouring►3-day Tours3-day Tours►Champlain Champlain

BikewaysBikeways

State of the TrailState of the Trail►71 miles total:71 miles total:►17 miles open today17 miles open today►14 miles planned or 14 miles planned or

in constructionin construction►14 miles defined but 14 miles defined but

not pieced togethernot pieced together►26 miles – trail route 26 miles – trail route

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Existing & Existing & Planned Trail Planned Trail

Segments Segments ►WhitehallWhitehall► Fort Ann to Ft EdwardFort Ann to Ft Edward►Glens Falls Feeder Canal Glens Falls Feeder Canal

TrailTrail► SchuylervilleSchuylerville► Saratoga NHP / TownSaratoga NHP / Town► StillwaterStillwater►HalfmoonHalfmoon►WaterfordWaterford

Regional & Regional & Connecting Connecting

Trails Trails ► Lake Champlain BikewaysLake Champlain Bikeways► Feeder Canal TrailFeeder Canal Trail►Warren County BikewayWarren County Bikeway► Snowmobile Trails Snowmobile Trails ► Zim Smith Trail Zim Smith Trail ►Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Mohawk-Hudson Bike-

Hike TrailHike Trail►Delaware Ave TrailDelaware Ave Trail►HRV Greenway TrailHRV Greenway Trail

What is in the Action What is in the Action Plan?Plan?

►Vision for the TrailVision for the Trail

►Trail BenefitsTrail Benefits

►General General recommendationsrecommendations

►Local maps & Local maps & recommendationsrecommendations

The Vision: a World - Class The Vision: a World - Class Recreational TrailRecreational Trail

►Destination QualityDestination Quality Comparable to Erie Canalway Comparable to Erie Canalway

TrailTrail Off-road where possibleOff-road where possible Shared use Shared use

►Serve local Serve local communitiescommunities Link business districts, parks, Link business districts, parks,

historic sites, neighborhoods…historic sites, neighborhoods… Locally-drivenLocally-driven

Economic Benefits of Economic Benefits of TrailsTrails

► Local spending by day Local spending by day users:users: Average $3 - $11 / dayAverage $3 - $11 / day

► Total benefits to host Total benefits to host communities:communities: $1.2 - $1.9 million / year$1.2 - $1.9 million / year $200k - $600k / year in new $200k - $600k / year in new

moneymoney Erie Canalway Trail: $28m / yearErie Canalway Trail: $28m / year

► Property values:Property values: 0% - 6% increase near the trail0% - 6% increase near the trail Easier salesEasier sales

Other Benefits of TrailsOther Benefits of Trails

►Healthy physical Healthy physical activityactivity Close to home / familiesClose to home / families

► Transportation / Transportation / livabilitylivability Walkable & bike-friendlyWalkable & bike-friendly Safe Routes to SchoolsSafe Routes to Schools

►History & community History & community identityidentity Preserve & link historic Preserve & link historic

sitessites Connect us with our storyConnect us with our story

General General Recommendations Recommendations

►Act locally / coordinate regionallyAct locally / coordinate regionally Support locally-based trail projectsSupport locally-based trail projects Establish regional linkagesEstablish regional linkages Promote consistent, high standardsPromote consistent, high standards

► ““Activate” and promote the trail Activate” and promote the trail Trail-related events Trail-related events Bicycle tourismBicycle tourism

► Enhance accommodations & Canal / Enhance accommodations & Canal / trail linkagestrail linkages Shared facilities (water trail camping at locks)Shared facilities (water trail camping at locks) Pedestrian & bicycle - friendly practicesPedestrian & bicycle - friendly practices

Local Recommendations Local Recommendations ► Short sectionsShort sections

1 to 3 miles1 to 3 miles

► Existing Existing conditionsconditions Key featuresKey features Anchors & linkagesAnchors & linkages

► Preferred & Preferred & alternative routesalternative routes

► Suggested actionsSuggested actions Next stepsNext steps Potential partnersPotential partners Key considerationsKey considerations

Possible within 1 – 3 Possible within 1 – 3 years:years:

► Local and regional eventsLocal and regional events Clean Sweep, Canal Splash & GHR PaddleClean Sweep, Canal Splash & GHR Paddle National Trails Day, HRV RambleNational Trails Day, HRV Ramble Demonstration “signature” trail event Demonstration “signature” trail event

►On-road bike route linkagesOn-road bike route linkages River Rd / Fort MillerRiver Rd / Fort Miller

► Complete trail sectionsComplete trail sections Schuylerville to Lock 5 IslandSchuylerville to Lock 5 Island Fort Ann to KingsburyFort Ann to Kingsbury Waterford to HalfmoonWaterford to Halfmoon

►Dix BridgeDix Bridge

Within 3 – 10 years:Within 3 – 10 years:► Promote trail tourism Promote trail tourism

Trail tourism itinerariesTrail tourism itineraries On-line marketingOn-line marketing Expand services for trail usersExpand services for trail users

► Complete more trail linkagesComplete more trail linkages Within communities, business Within communities, business

districts, waterfrontsdistricts, waterfronts Special planning studies for key trail Special planning studies for key trail

“gap” areas“gap” areas Regional loops & linkages with other Regional loops & linkages with other

trails (Zim Smith, snowmobile trails, trails (Zim Smith, snowmobile trails, others)others)

Future FundingFuture Funding► Transportation Enhancements (NYS-DOT)Transportation Enhancements (NYS-DOT)►NYS Environmental Protection Fund NYS Environmental Protection Fund

(NYS-OPRHP)(NYS-OPRHP)►Recreational Trails Fund (NYS-OPRHP)Recreational Trails Fund (NYS-OPRHP)

Up to $200,000Up to $200,000

► Challenge Cost Share grants (NPS)Challenge Cost Share grants (NPS) Designated National Trails and RTCA-assisted rail-Designated National Trails and RTCA-assisted rail-

trailstrails Up to $10,000Up to $10,000

►Hudson River Greenway Trails grantsHudson River Greenway Trails grants Up to $5,000Up to $5,000

Next Steps:Next Steps:► Coordinate regionallyCoordinate regionally

Canalway Trail Assn NY (CTANY)Canalway Trail Assn NY (CTANY) Funding & mutual supportFunding & mutual support

►Outreach to communities & Outreach to communities & groupsgroups Encourage & support local projectsEncourage & support local projects Enhance the trail’s profile (web, Enhance the trail’s profile (web,

events)events)

► Seek near-term successesSeek near-term successes On-the-ground successOn-the-ground success Optimize benefits to communitiesOptimize benefits to communities

Let’s GoLet’s Go

Champlain Champlain Canalway Canalway

TrailTrailAction PlanAction Plan

A Guide for A Guide for CommunitiesCommunities

Find us on the web:Find us on the web:www.hudsoncrossingpark.orgwww.hudsongreenway.ny.gov

or invite us to your community to share the or invite us to your community to share the Action PlanAction Plan