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New
York State Parks Announce Construction
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to
Begin on the West River Trail
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Parkway Converted
to Multi-Use Trail Along Niagara River
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Connecting
Buffalo to Niagara Falls
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Albany,
NY – April 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / The
Office
of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) announces
that work to convert the West River Parkway into an 8-mile multi-use trail
will begin on April 16. The $2.5 million NY Parks 2020 project will transform
two lanes of highway into a vehicle-free multi-use trail that runs along
the Niagara River from Beaver Island State Park to Buckhorn State Park
ultimately connecting the City of Buffalo to Niagara Falls.
View
the transformation here.
“Connecting
our communities to our waterfronts enhances tourism opportunities and energizes
economic development,” said State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey. “This
transformation along the West Niagara River, one of the more beautiful
places in New York, will become a popular destination for bikers, walkers
and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds.”
State
Parks is using a $1.6 million federal transportation grant and $900,000
from the New York Power Authority and the Niagara River Greenway and expects
the trail to be completed this fall. Currently, the West River Parkway
is a seasonal, two-lane, 55-mile-per-hour state highway that runs along
the Niagara River which is home to migrating birds and other wildlife as
well as beautiful sunsets. The new multi-use trail will include furnishings
and interpretive signage, landscaping and year-round access to the water.
“With
this work, supported by federal and state funding, we invest in Grand Island
and provide residents with new opportunities to explore the water’s edge,
connect to a network of waterfront trails to the north and south, and experience
the great Niagara River vistas in a new and exciting way,” said Congressman
Brian Higgins.
Grand
Island Supervisor Nate McMurray said “Grand Island is a unique and beautiful
place. 80 percent of North America’s freshwater—and 20 percent of the world’s
freshwater—flows around it. Once the West River Parkway Multi-Use Path
is in place, that riverfront will be opened for everyone to enjoy. Having
that space available for safe and accessible recreation will be a gift
for Grand Island and for all of Western New York.”
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The
New
York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees
more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses,
boat launches and more, which are visited by 71 million people annually.
A recent study found that New York State Parks generates $5 billion in
park and visitor spending, which supports nearly 54,000 jobs and over $2.8
billion in additional state GDP. For more information on any of these recreation
areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit
www.parks.ny.gov,
connect with us on Facebook,
or follow on Instagram
and
Twitter.
Source
Document
Media
Contact:
Angela
P. Berti
Western
District Marketing & Public Affairs Coordinator
NYS
Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
716-278-1764 |