The Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council (ECTC) is organizing a public information meeting to discuss the Chemung Canal Connector Trail Project. The event will take place on Tuesday, June 17, from 5 to 7 pm at the Village of Elmira Heights Village Hall, located at 215 Elmwood Avenue.
This meeting aims to update the public on an eight-mile paved pedestrian and bicycle trail that would link the Lackawanna Rail Trail in Elmira with the Catharine Valley Trail at Huck Finn Road in Veteran. The project seeks to close an eight-mile gap between these trails, creating a continuous 29-mile corridor.
In June 2023, ECTC held an initial public meeting during a feasibility study phase. This study identified a preferred route for the trail along the historic Chemung Canal and railroad corridor. Now, ECTC is conducting preliminary engineering studies to further refine project details such as trail routes, bridges, trailheads, roadway crossings, and landscaping. Environmental studies are also underway in accordance with state and national regulations.
Attendees of the upcoming meeting will have access to preliminary project plans and can provide feedback or ask questions directly to ECTC representatives.
Construction for the first phase of this project—from Eldridge Park to I-86—is scheduled to begin in summer 2026. The new regional trail is expected to boost tourism and economic opportunities while improving mobility and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.
For more information or special accommodations at the meeting, individuals can contact Michael Perry via email at mperry@chemungcountyny.gov or call (607) 737-5510.
The ECTC serves as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Elmira. Its mission involves reaching regional agreements on transportation investments while balancing various transit needs for equitable outcomes.
Christopher J. Moss
Chemung County Executive
