Three years from now, you can just walk, bike or jog your way from New York to Canada. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans for building a 750-mile trail that will connect the two destinations through 40 pathways starting from Manhattan to the North Country and from Albany to Buffalo.
The government is set to grant $200 million in funding with its goal of boosting tourism among those regions of the state. Currently, NY has secured $53 million to see the trail realized by 2020.
"We want to continue to invest in tourism, and take it to a new level: the new Empire State Trail is going to excite people across the world," said Cuomo. People get to pass by parks, valleys, and waterways along the trail.
Moreover, the trail will improve the road between Hudson River Valley Greenway and the Erie Canalway. "It will link 40 trails; have scenic outlooks, and all be done on land we already own. It will change the economy through the Hudson Valley," Cuomo said on Twitter.
The governor also said that the project would also change the economic activity throughout the state. "The Empire State Trail, once completed, will be the nation's largest state multi-use trail network, providing residents and visitors alike unprecedented access to New York's outdoor treasures, driving tourism and economic activity to communities across the state and helping to protect our environmental resources for generations to come," he said.
Improving access to these sites will generate more local and foreign visitors. Parks and routes that will be connected to the trails are Buffalo State Park, Fort Ticonderoga, and The Montezuma National Wild Refuge among many others.
"This could be an international magnet to bring people here: bike tours, running tours, etc. All we have to do is pave the way," Cuomo added.
