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Riverwalk Trails, Pedestrian Bridges Being Added This Year

A section of the new sidewalk that was extended along Boulevard Avenue in the village of Celoron as part of the Lucy Trail. The new trail connects McCrea Point Park in the city of Jamestown with Lucille Ball Memorial Park in the village of Celoron. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

Two new trails and two pedestrian bridges will be be added this year to the Greater Jamestown Riverwalk.

Work will continue this summer on Phase V of the Riverwalk, which is the Chadakoin Park trail and bike path between McCrea Point Park and Clifton Avenue. When completed, this section of the Riverwalk project will be a blacktop bike and pedestrian path over the former J&W railroad bed that runs along the Chadakoin River from West Eight Street to Clifton Avenue. The cost of Phase V is $525,162. A state Environmental Protection Fund grant of $262,581 has been matched by the city with labor, materials and equipment.

Jeff Lehman, city public works director, said city crews are working on the trail and the hope is to have it completed this summer or this fall.

“We still have a gravel base to put in and drainage to put in,” Lehman said. “We’re going to be paving the path and continuing certain landscaping.”

Lehman said last year city crews worked with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to identify and remove certain plants and noxious weeds. He also said that they removed a leaf pile that city officials had been using for 30 plus years. He added that once the trail is completed, city officials will be working to connect the path and Chadakoin Park, which is located along Washington Street.

Another trail that connects with the Riverwalk is the project known as the Lucy Trail. The Lucy Trail was completed by the Chautauqua County Public Facilities Department earlier this year, said Drew Rodgers, county engineer III. The Lucy Trail runs between McCrea Point Park in Jamestown and Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celoron.

Rodgers said the project consisted of extending the sidewalks in the village of Celoron on the southside of Boulevard Avenue to the village/city border. He said they also made some improvements at intersections to improve Americans With Disabilities Act accessibility. Also, the project included widening the shoulder from the village/city border to McCrea Point Park.

Rodgers said the project came in under budget, with the construction bid amount being $604,995.

Also this year, the pedestrian bridges will be installed on the Riverwalk along the Chadakoin River in downtown Jamestown. Last month, preliminary work started on the installation of the two pedestrian bridges with Union Concrete & Construction starting to level the ground at Panzarella Park for the foundation of a crane that will be used to install the pedestrian bridges. Lehman said the bridges will either be installed later this summer or in the early fall.

One of the pedestrian bridges will connect the north shore of the Riverwalk with Panzarella Park. The second bridge will be below the Washington Street Bridge and connect both sections of the Riverwalk running along the Chadakoin River.

In October 2014, state officials announced the city would receive $1.6 million in funding for the construction of the two bridges. The $2 million project will required the city to provide $400,000 from the First Instance Urban Development Action Grant for the local funding match.

Additional improvements to the Riverwalk will also be coming next year. Lehman said the state plans on making mechanical upgrades and installing a new fence around the Warner Dam next spring.

Also, the state awarded $325,000 to enhance the Riverwalk through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative program. This project will consist of implementing the Riverwalk Illumination plan to decoratively light waterfront features, to construct kayak and canoe launches along the Chadakoin River and to complete a floating debris collection system around the Warner Dam.

Lehman said city officials haven’t received state DRI funding yet for the Riverwalk enhancements. He said once city officials receive the funding they will have a better idea of when the improvements will be started and completed.

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