Some members of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s cabinet are about to know every inch of the Erie Canal “from Albany to Buffalo.”
New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian Stratton kicked off the tour today in the Queen City, as he joined more than 500 cyclists from around the country for the 14th annual ‘Cycling the Erie Canal’ event, which is a 400 mile bicycling trip along the state’s famous waterway.
The tour stopped Sunday in Niagara County where Stratton announced an economic development project that will close an eight mile gap between the western New York towns of Amherst and Lockport. It will create a continuous 100 mile path for bikers and hikers between Erie County and Wayne County. The new trail is expected to be completed by the fall of 2014.
Stratton, the former longtime mayor of Schenectady, said other cabinet members will join along the way in some of the cities and towns located along the canal.
The tour concludes July 14th in Albany.