Projects, Programs, & Initiatives

Projects

Trail Connection Study

ECTC is excited to share that it has taken on a study that will look at how to connect the popular Catharine Valley Trail (CVT) to the local Lackawanna Rail Trail (LRT). The CVT, a linear park, currently begins at Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen, NY and ends at the Domes on Huck Finn Road in Pine Valley NY, an approximately 14-mile-long stretch. The LRT begins at what is commonly known as the Lowman Crossover on Chemung County Route 8 in Ashland and extends north to Eldridge Park in the City of Elmira, with a northern terminus along the Clemens Center Parkway Extension. The LRT is approximately 8.5 miles from end to end. Connecting the 2 trails allow more access points in the Village of Elmira Heights, the Town and Village of Horseheads, and the Town of Veteran. If a connection can be made between the 2 trails it would improve the public access for walking, hiking, bicycling, bird watching, and maybe even a marathon!

The first public meeting was held on Wednesday, June 14th at 6:30pm at the Elmira Heights Village Hall. A trail walk along a portion of the potential project area was held on Sunday, July 9th

For more information contact Mike Perry at mperry@chemungcountyny.gov

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trailwalk

Elmira Gateway Project

ECTC is pleased to announce it will be working with the City of Elmira and the County and City Departments of Public Works on a Gateway project focusing on entry points from I-86 into the City on East Church Street and East Water Street. These two streets are the major eastbound entries and serve as the designated truck route coming into the City. The study seeks to determine the best way to serve drivers as well as those who use alternative modes such as biking and walking, and create a more attractive and complete gateway into our City.

For more information, contact Mike Perry at mperry@chemungcountyny.gov

Microtransit Feasibility Study

As times are changing, so is what public transportation looks like. Microtransit is transportation that falls somewhere between fixed route service and rideshare services. Because a significant portion of our county is rural, taking a CTRAN bus is not always possible. Microtransit can provide first and last mile service to link them to current bus routes. ECTC has put out a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for companies that provides microtransit service to conduct a feasibility study to see if and how microtransit can work best for us.

For more information, contact Courtney Dunn at cdunn@chemungcountyny.gov

Sidewalk Survey

 ECTC will be surveying sidewalk, crosswalk, and curb ramp conditions in the City of Elmira, starting this summer. Safety and equity in mobility are paramount in our City! Many trips start on local residential street sidewalks. Unlike roads, these walking networks have many gaps, obstructions, accessibility issues, and maintenance oversights. Sidewalks in residential neighborhoods are an important part of the transportation system that is often overlooked. If you see us out surveying and have any questions, come say hi!

For more information, contact  Courtney Taylor at ctaylor@chemungcountyny.gov

Bus Shelter & Signage Improvement Plan

ECTC is currently in the process of inventorying existing bus shelters and CTRAN bus "stops". The goal of this inventory is to determine the prioritization of bus shelter replacements and potential sites for bus shelter and signage placement. ECTC will look to CTRAN drivers and riders, the Riders Advisory Council, and the Coordinated Transportation Committee to provide feedback and recommendations. Upon completion, the plan will be made available for public viewing.

For more information, contact Courtney Dunn at cdunn@chemungcountyny.gov

Transportation Center Rehabilitation

The Chemung County Transportation Center was built in 1998 and was in need of rehabilitation. Some of the rehabilitation work being done includes upgrading the main entrance and bathroom doors to make them ADA-compliant and fully functional for riders with all mobility levels, exterior rehab concrete work to improve ADA accessibility, and improvements for rider safety and comfort. With planning, and the use of several years of New York State Modernization and Enhancement Program and Accelerate Transit Capital Program grants, the rehabilitation is being done with no local cost.

For more information, contact Mike Perry at mperry@chemungcountyny.gov

Programs

Road Conditions Evaluation

Have you ever seen a County DPW van driving slowly around the area in the fall? That's us, taking an inventory of the roads within the County. We give them a score based on NYSDOT guidance and are also taking pictures of every road we drive on - that's a LOT of photos! A report of the results can be found under Documents and Maps on the ECTC page if you're curious about what your street is rated. While many factors are taken into account for the annual road paving program, these road scores are important and contribute to decision-making.

For more information, contact Courtney Taylor at ctaylor@chemungcountyny.gov

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

As a recipient of funds from the Department of Transportation, we are required to implement a DBE Program that meets DOT standards. Due to the small number of local DBEs currently, there is only one being used in CTRAN operations. Our goal is to support local business owners and increase the number of local businesses that are certified to help keep more federal funds invested here. If you are a local business or know of a local business that may qualify, we encourage you to look into becoming certified and to keep an eye out for DBE support events.

For more information, contact Courtney Dunn at cdunn@chemungcountyny.gov

Hazard Mitigation Plan

 Chemung County received $150,000 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP-4480) funding to support the required five year update of the Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. This planning initiative guides Chemung County and all its municipalities through an assessment process of all natural hazards that can have an impact on our county and municipalities, and then create Action Items that would help to reduce or eliminate future damage from these natural hazards. 

This plan is required by both New York State and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for eligibility for many mitigation grant funding opportunities. Since 2021, the Chemung County Planning Department has authored or supported 6 grant applications for these grant programs totaling $764,501 in funding awards, with additional federal funding to offset administrative costs associated with managing these grants.

For more information, see  Hazard Mitigation Plan webpage

Tree Mitigation Program

 Chemung County received a Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC- pronounced “brick”) grant to create a written Tree Mitigation Program for use by all municipalities and the county. The majority of the $122,051 grant funding will provide a variety of training for municipal DPW, Highway, Parks, Airport, and Soil and Water Conservation District personnel to help them learn how to inventory, assess and then prioritize and safely remove or otherwise mitigate municipal controlled trees that present the greatest hazards for becoming storm debris during severe weather events. The funding will also be used to create a public outreach and education campaign to help residents take similar mitigation actions with their privately owned trees.

For more information, see  Tree Mitigation Program webpage

Local Waterfront Revitalization

The City of Elmira in coordination with Chemung County has been awarded Department of State grant funding to develop a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan for the City. Bids to hire a planning contractor are soon to be underway for this project, which will produce a Plan to adapt law, identify projects, and seek further funding to invigorate and empower Elmira's waterfront.

For more information, contact Emily Marino at emarino@chemungcountyny.gov

Climate Smart Communities

In 2022, Chemung County became an official Bronze Certified Climate Smart Community! Climate Smart Communities (CSC) is a New York State program that helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. Certified communities are the foremost leaders in the state; they have gone beyond the CSC pledge by completing and documenting a suite of actions that mitigate and adapt to climate change at the local level. 

For more information, see the Chemung County Climate Smart Communities page: https://tinyurl.com/2zkwyf2f

Initiatives

Safe Routes to School

The Chemung County Planning Department and the ECTC are hoping to work with school districts and families of school-aged children to develop a Safe Routes to School plan to aid in achieving Vision Zero - eliminating all traffic deaths and serious injuries. This plan can include developing school route maps like the Long Beach Unified School District, organizing walking school buses, advocating for complete streets, and more. What could this mean for our community? A safe, active option for students to get to and from school; peace of mind for parents and guardians; improved navigational skills; ease in traffic congestion around schools; and can help us locate gaps in our current system.

If you are interested in participating in the development of this plan, contact Liv Lovejoy  at olovejoy@chemungcountyny.gov