Chemung County was awarded nearly $250,000 this month for the Chemung Canal Connector Trail project.
A federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will fund a portion of a bicycle and pedestrian path between the village of Elmira Heights and the city of Elmira.
It is expected to help bridge a 7-mile gap between both the Lackawanna Rail Trail, which runs 8 miles between Eldridge Park and the town of Ashland, and the Catharine Valley Trail, which currently runs from Watkins Glen to Pine Valley.
The project is expected to take several phases for construction, according to an Elmira Chemung Transportation Council (ECTC) press release. The project is being overseen by the Chemung County Planning Department.
It is the first phase of a project to create a network of trails in the county that will eventually become a 29-mile continuous trail corridor.
According to a press release from Southern Tier Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY23), the Chemung Canal Connector Trail project will ultimately connect the county to the Finger Lakes Trail System, which is a continuous 580-mile walking trail across the state.
The Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board (STC) said in an email that Chemung County should receive a contract from ARC by September.
Initial work will include design and engineering. The construction portion is expected to take several years and additional funding streams to complete.
It is not clear when the project will begin construction. County officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is an economic development partner helping to fund arts and culture and tourism projects.
The application deadline for the 2026 funding grant cycle from ARC through STC is Sept. 18.