Groups say Erie Canalway Trail 75 percent complete

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

A pair of parks and trails advocacy groups says progress is being made to close the five remaining gaps in the 365-mile Erie Canalway Trail connecting Albany and Buffalo.

A new report by the Canalway Trails Association New York and Parks and Trails New York says the Erie Canalway Trail is 75 percent complete.

When the last remaining gaps are closed, the groups say the continuous off-road trail will see hundreds of thousands of additional users each year, bringing an economic boost to more than 200 communities along the Erie Canal corridor.

One of the last remaining gaps is in the Syracuse area, where cyclists must negotiate through high-traffic areas on city streets. Local officials have agreed to explore options for identifying a safe route between Camillus and Dewitt through the city of Syracuse.