New York is putting $5.8 million toward restoring water flow around Island Park in Williamsville and building a trail connection through Amherst.
The funding includes $2 million for the Ellicott Creek restoration and $3.8 million for the Peanut Line Trail, according to a news release from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York will administer the state capital funding. The two projects address different parts of the regionās public infrastructure: a creek and community park in the Village of Williamsville, and a missing connection in the bicycle and pedestrian trail network.
Restoring water flow around Island Park
The waterway project calls for removing the old dam in Ellicott Creek and installing a passive weir system. The work is intended to restore water flow around Island Park, improve water quality for people and wildlife, and restore the creekās natural habitat.
The governorās office said removing the old dam would also eliminate the ongoing costs and manual labor associated with it, along with safety and liability concerns. Island Park is a community park used by residents and visitors in the village.
Williamsville Mayor Christine Hunt said the village launched the Ellicott Creek Corridor Waterway Restoration Project in 2023 with a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant administered through the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
The new funding allows the village to move toward a design study, environmental compliance and the other work needed to complete the project over the next few years, Hunt said. She credited Assemblymember Karen McMahon and state Sen. Jeremy Zellner with helping secure support.
Zellner said restoring the creekās flow is important to preserving Island Park and maintaining the character of the village. He also linked the separate trail investment to giving residents and visitors more ways to explore Western New York.
Connecting existing trails
The Peanut Line Trail will provide an east-west connection between the Clarence Pathway Trail and the Ellicott Creek Trailway. The route is intended to connect residential neighborhoods with schools, parks, commercial areas and transit services.
The project includes about 4.9 miles of paved, 10-foot-wide multiuse path, primarily within a former New York Central Railroad corridor. The path will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Planned pedestrian and bicycle safety measures include signs, pavement markings, guide rails, access controls and signalized crossings. The overall project totals more than $10 million and recently received $7 million in federal Transportation Alternatives Program funding administered by the state Department of Transportation.
Amherst Town Supervisor Shawn Lavin described the route as a missing link between the Town of Clarence trail system, the Akron Trailway and the Ellicott Creek Trailway in Amherst and Tonawanda. He said the connection would give people more ways to travel safely between neighborhoods, parks, schools and businesses.
Gov. Kathy Hochul joins local officials for a $2 million check presentation for the Ellicott Creek dam-removal project. Photo: Office of the Governor.
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