SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $3.9 MILLION FOR CNY’S PEACE TRAIL DEVELOPMENT CONNECTING ONONDAGA, MADISON, CAYUGA, AND OSWEGO COUNTIES WITH NEW BIKE & HIKING TRAILS TO BOOST[...]

Schumer Has Secured Millions Via Bipartisan Infrastructure Law To Develop New Paths Across Central NY Connecting To Empire State Trail For Hiking, Biking & More

Schumer, Gillibrand: Wheels Are In Motion To Bring Bike BOOM To CNY!

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $3,900,000 for the Central New York Regional Planning Board to develop construction-ready plans for bicycle and walking path infrastructure, connecting areas across Central NY to the Empire State Trail and turning Upstate NY into a world-class bike touring destination. The proposed trail will connect rural villages and small towns to major transportation hubs and urban employment centers.

"I love to ride my bike for exercise and to explore communities and I know we need more bike paths to improve access and safety for bikers and hikers. I'm proud to deliver $3.9 million from my Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to put the wheels in motion Central NY to be connected with biking and hiking paths through the CNY Peace Trail," said Senator Schumer. "Bike paths and trails are a magnet for tourism and help keep our community healthy and connected. This will boost local economies from Oswego to Auburn, connect rural villages to major transportation hubs, and make Upstate NY's beautiful natural landscapes more accessible to all. I'll continue fighting to deliver resources to keep Upstate NY connected and ensure everyone can ride their bikes safely in Central NY and across Upstate NY."

"Bicycle infrastructure improves safety, promotes tourism, and results in cleaner air. Construction of the Peace Trail is a much-needed endeavor that will boost quality of life for residents of Central New York, allowing New Yorkers to get active and safely explore the beautiful environment that we call home," said Senator Gillibrand. "I'm proud to have helped secure this funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and I will continue working to send federal dollars to New York for more projects that promote cleaner environments and healthier lifestyles."

The Central NY Peace Trail is expected to be 170 miles, and this funding will target plans for 57 miles across Onondaga, Madison, Cayuga, and Oswego Counties with a focus on connecting 34 Areas of Persistent Poverty and 39 Historically Disadvantaged and Tribal census tracts. This network will reach busy areas including the Syracuse-Hancock International Airport, Syracuse Regional Transportation Center, and Central New York Regional Transportation Hub and rural villages and small towns. In addition, the trail will reach rural landscapes with farm fields, historic American architecture, forests, glacial lakes, rivers, streams, waterfalls, and more. The Planning Board plans to implement safe street upgrades in addition to the bicycle touring corridors. More details on the CNY Peace Trail can be found here.

"I am very pleased to receive news today that the U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding the CNY RPDB a grant of $3.9 million through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. These funds will be used by the agency to complete local planning and detailed engineering plans for major elements of a 170-mile bicycle network across scenic rural areas in the five-county region in Central New York. As a regional organization, we are very pleased to receive this news and thank Senator Schumer and all our federal representatives for their efforts to support local efforts to make improvements to our region's transportation infrastructure, particularly those improvements that will support a range of community initiatives across the region," said David Bottar, Executive Director of Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board.

The funding comes from the highly competitive RAISE funding program that Schumer secured a historic increase for in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law he led to passage in the Senate. The RAISE grant program funds transportation projects of national and regional significance. Schumer secured historic increases for the program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, at $7.5 billion over five years, with $1.5 billion per year.

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