Southern Adirondack Trail
The Southern Adirondack Scenic Byway designation project began in late 1997, at the request of State Senator James Seward and Assemblyman Marc Butler. Through their efforts, the "Southern Adirondack Trail" had been legislatively designated as a State Tourism Trail. Designation as a State Scenic Byway will open the area to opportunities including marketing of the byway in state publications, and state and federal project funding. It will foster economic development and resource and roadway management.
The Southern Adirondack Scenic Byway begins at two locations in Herkimer County - NYS Thruway Exits 29A and 30 in Little Falls and Herkimer, respectively. From Exit 29A, follow Rt. I 69N, through the City of Little Falls, continue north on  169 to the Village of Middleville. From Exit 30, follow Rt. 2 SN through the Village of Herkimer, continue north to Middleville, where Rts. 28, 169 and 29 meet. From Middleville, continue on Rt. 2SN to the Village of Poland, turn right onto Rt. 8N, follow Rt. S into Hamilton County to the Village of Speculator. Since beginning the designation process, we have added two "corridor loops." The first, in Herkimer County, follows Rt. I 67N (where Rt. 167 meets Rt. 169 just east of Little Falls) through the Village of Dolgevlle, onto Rt. 29E at Salisbury Center, down into Middleville. The second "loop," in Hamilton County, circles Piseco Lake, directly off of Rt. 8, and then back onto Rt. 8, south of Speculator.
The NYS Department of Transportation oversees the NYS Scenic Byways Advisory Board. The process to prepare to nominate a roadway corridor for scenic byway designation is lengthy, typically 2 to 3 years. A local steering committee works through the process, with the guidance of the State Advisory board. The Herkimer County Area Development Corporation is the sponsoring agency for this project. Our local steering committee is made up of representatives from both Hamilton and Herkimer county agencies, organizations, businesses, individuals, and local governments, as the nomination process is intended to coordinate the efforts of all. Our committee will be representing a nomination package to the State Advisory Board approximately the end of 2000.
The byway designation will help us to promote our resources in an integrated manner. A byway corridor is not limited to the roadway itself. Our corridor encompasses attractions and other resources several miles from the actual routes. The Remington Arms Museum and the Original Herkimer County Cheese Company in Ilion, and the Erie Canal Marinas in Ilion and Frankfort, are as much a part of our byway corridor as are the Herkimer Diamond Mines in Middleville, Lyndon Lyons Greenhouses in Dolgville, and the General Herkimer Home in Little Falls - all located along the actual routes.
Our steering committee believes that our byway corridor boasts outstanding scenic, natural. recreational, historic and archaeological significance. The mission of the South Adirondack Scenic Byway is to "instill within the visitors to the Adirondack Foothills an appreciation for the extraordinary resources of the Corridor, to inspire them to return, and vitalize them to encourage others to visit."
|
