Canal Street Redesign
Date: 2021
With funding through New York State’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, EDR developed a concept design for the Canal Street corridor between the intersection of Main Street and State Street and the intersection of Canal Street with Diamond Street. Though the Empire State Trail route traverses the Village along Canal Street, no improvements were scheduled through the center of the Village. Thoughtful redesign of the Erie Canal-front spaces within the Village will lead to improved experience for visitors, encouraging their engagement with the local community and providing opportunities to learn about the community’s history.
The overall design developed by EDR respects the Village’s history and acknowledges the recent streetscape improvements along Peterboro Street. It also provides recommendations for connecting with the proposed Madison County Canalside Pocket Neighborhood Project, part of the Reimagine the Canals Initiative.
The Village was also interested in developing water access to the Erie Canal to facilitate its use by non-motorized watercraft. With EDR, they identified and developed a near-term solution. EDR also worked with the Village to identify short-term strategies for water access utilizing commonly available materials, emphasizing ease of construction and maintenance.
The proposed plan and preliminary design developed by EDR show a rework of Canal Street within the Village, turning the street into one-way and adding a pedestrian plaza and a boat landing.
