Southern Tier Trail: Design and Engineering

UPDATE JULY 2026

Southern Tier Trail Advances into Preliminary Design

The Southern Tier Trail has reached an exciting milestone as the project enters the preliminary engineering, environmental review, and design phase. During this stage, the project team will document existing roadway conditions, such as grades, drainage, and structures, confirm public right-of-way limits, and develop preliminary design concepts that will ultimately inform the project’s final design.

As part of this work, you may notice survey crews along portions of the proposed corridor. Survey activities are a normal part of the engineering process and provide the information needed to prepare accurate design plans. This work does not indicate that construction is imminent. The project remains in the planning and design phase, and no final design has been selected.

Community participation remains an important part of the process. As preliminary design concepts are developed, GObike Buffalo and project partners will host public meetings where residents, property owners, local officials, and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to review the concepts, ask questions, and provide feedback before the project advances further.

Below are answers to some of the questions we’ve received

FAQ

Is construction about to begin?
No. The project is currently in the alternatives analysis, preliminary engineering, and environmental review phase. There is no construction funding currently secured, and construction is not part of this phase of the project.

Why are survey crews working along the roadway?
Survey crews are documenting existing roadway conditions and public right-of-way boundaries so engineers can evaluate available space, environmental conditions, and begin preliminary design. Survey work is a normal part of the planning and design process.

Has a final trail route been selected?
No. Alignments and facility types continue to be evaluated. The current work is intended to help determine which alternatives are technically feasible and best meet community needs.

Will private property be taken?
At this time, all proposed alignments within the Ashford and northern Ellicottville sections of the trail corridor are being developed within the existing public roadway right-of-way. Based on work completed to date, it is our expectation that the proposed trail improvements can be accommodated entirely within the public right-of-way. The ongoing survey work will help verify that assumption.

Does this project include property acquisition?
No. The current federally funded grant is for planning, engineering, environmental review, and design only. It does not include property acquisition or construction. If there are potential impacts to adjacent properties, such as grading, these will be identified during this process.

Has the environmental review been completed?
No. Environmental review—including NEPA, SEQR, and consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)—will occur after potential alignments are identified and before any future construction decisions are made.

Who is funding the project?
The current phase is funded through a RAISE Grant administered by the Federal Highway Administration. This funding supports planning and design only.

When will the public have an opportunity to provide input?

Join us for upcoming open houses and workshops on the Southern Tier Trail. Learn about the project, review the proposed route and design concepts, and share your thoughts, questions, and local knowledge with the project team.

PUBLIC MEETING #1:

  • :date: Date: Thursday, October 08 , 2026
  • :clock6: Time: 6:30 pm – 8 pm
  • :round_pushpin:LOCATION: ELLICOTTVILLE TOWN CENTER
  • 28 PARKSIDE DR, ELLICOTTVILLE, NY 14731

PUBLIC MEETING #2:

  • :date: Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
  • :clock6: Time: 6:30 pm – 8 pm
  • :round_pushpin:LOCATION: JOHN J ASH COMMUNITY CENTER
  • 112 N BARRY ST, OLEAN, NY 14760

We’ll continue to share updates as additional information becomes available, including dates for upcoming public meetings.

Overview

Colliers Engineering and Design, in coordination with GObike and Cattaraugus County, will complete engineering and design of the Cattaraugus County portion of the Southern Tier Trail, running approximately 52 miles through 11 municipalities and the Seneca Nation of Indians. The Engineering and Design phase of the project includes finalizing trail alignment, environmental review and permitting, full design of the trail (including trailheads and amenities), an operations and maintenance plan, and construction-ready documents.

This phase builds off of the 2021 Southern Tier Trail Feasibility Study, which outlines preferred alignments for the trail from the City of Buffalo to Hinsdale. The study was supported by funding from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

 

View the Feasibility Study Here

Key findings from the study include:

  • An 80.1-mile route has been identified and categorized into 23 projects, including nine high-priority projects selected to connect major population centers and extend or enhance existing trails;
  • The trail will extend from Ridge Road in Lackawanna to the Genesee Valley Greenway trail in Hinsdale, NY, and have 24 trailheads and access points;
  • If preferred routes are implemented, 94% of the route (74-miles) will be off-road;
  • Equestrian and snowmobile access will be maintained in the southern portion of the trail; and
  • Stabilizing the Cascade Bridge, an elevated trestle bridge in Springville, NY, will provide a signature destination for the trail.

View the executive summary.

View photo renderings of key projects.

 

View the Feasibility Study View Video of Feasibility Study Presentation

Trail Benefits

Connectivity

The trail will connect Western New Yorkers and visitors to the natural, historic, and cultural splendor of the Western New York region. The proposed Southern Tier Trail would connect our region to the statewide 750-mile Empire State Trail, which links New York City to Canada and Buffalo to Albany, and the 90-mile Genesee Valley Greenway, connecting Cuba to Rochester.

Economy

The positive economic impacts of trails include recreation-based tourism, an increase in property values, an enhanced ability to attract new employers and employees, and the development of new industries, such as visitor services, to accommodate the increase in recreational opportunities in the area.

Health and Well-Being

A 2012 health impact assessment of the towns adjacent the Southern Tier Trail determined residents would benefit from an increase in physical activity due to trail construction. Physical activity improves mental health and lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and various cancers. Studies show that every $1 invested in recreation trails yields $3 in direct medical benefit.

Environment

Multi-use trails protect open space and provide corridors for wildlife. They create linear green space, thus preserving needed links between fragmented habitats and increasing available connected green space for many species.

Transportation

Trails provide transportation alternatives to those who choose not to drive or those who do not have access to a car. Completion of the Southern Tier Trail will increase local mobility options and provide accessibility to nearby parks, playgrounds, and sports fields, increasing access to additional recreational opportunities in neighborhoods along the trail corridor.

Safety

Off-road trails provide safe recreational opportunities for a variety of users. They provide a designated space for bicyclists, pedestrians, joggers, and others.

Education

Did you know the Buffalo-Pittsburgh rail line  was built to transport coal between upstate New York and Pennsylvania in the late 1800s? Trails provide the opportunity for trail users to discover local history, ecology, and natural heritage.

Project Timeline

History

The following history of the rail corridor and development of the trail is adapted from a presentation developed by members of the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, Inc. (https://www.ecattrail.org/presentation).

1869 Railway incorporated as Rochester & State Line Railroad

1887 Railroad renamed Buffalo, Rochester &Pittsburgh (BR&P) Railway

1912 Orchard Park Depot opened

1932 BR&P Railway purchased by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad

1955 Passenger train service ends on the line

1966 Last freight train runs on line

2008 ECRT was formed to support NYS parks in their quest to purchase the former Buffalo Pittsburgh Railroad corridor

2012 NY State Parks turned over direct negotiations with the railroad to ECRT

2018 A long term rail-banking lease between ECRT, Inc. and B&PRR was finalized with the purpose to build and maintain a multi-use recreational trail along the full 27-mile former rail corridor

2019 Thanks to funding from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr Foundation, GObike hired Alta Planning & Design to conduct a feasibility study to assess converting the 80-mile rail right-of-way to a multi-use trail

2020 GObike and Alta Planning & Design formed a steering committee with the two counties, 11 towns, three villages, and associated stakeholders to guide the feasibility study

Stay Informed

Here are some responses to frequently asked questions on rail-to-trail projects. Have a different question? Get in touch with us!

Bookmark this site, join our mailing list and follow us on social media for regular project updates. Submit a comment or question to Kaden Shea, Community Engagement Manager, kaden@gobikebuffalo.org

Communication and outreach regarding the planning process will include:

  • Posting regular updates to this website.
  • Sending regular email updates.
  • Hosting a series of public events during the planning process in the project area throughout the next year and a half. We’ll post event details to this website and our social media.
  • Facilitating stakeholder advisory groups in each municipality to help guide the design process.

[contact-form-7 id=”f6514fe” title=”Contact Us – Southern Tier Trail”

Our project team is happy to respond to questions from adjacent landowners. The best way for property owners to contact us is by emailing kaden@gobikebuffalo.org.

The project team is also available to meet on-site with adjacent landowners where appropriate to share information and discuss landowner issues (adjacent landowners should include their contact information when submitting comments on the website). Please view the proposed trail route to determine if you are an adjacent landowner.

Many studies have found that multi-use trails are an amenity that increases property values and improves the quality of life for nearby residents. For a sample of studies, please see our trail benefits section.

Rules will be posted informing trail users to stay on the trail and not enter the adjacent property. Trail design features, such as allowing vegetation to grow, establishing a natural boundary, and installing signage or fencing in specific locations where warranted, will reinforce trail behavior. New York State, like most states, has a Recreational Use Statute (General Obligation Law Section 9-103) that protects property owners from liability from hikers, bicyclists, and other trail activities on private property. The general experience of rail-trails across New York State is that users stay on the trails and respect adjacent private property.

Addressing concerns of adjacent landowners is a critical component of this planning process.

Based on experiences on other rail-trails, there typically are not significant problems with people leaving the trail and entering private property. Trail users understand that adjacent land is private property and should not to be entered without permission. 

Measures currently in consideration include reinforcement of the requirement that users respect private property, including posting rules at trailheads emphasizing no trespassing. In special circumstances, the Southern Tier Trail project team is considering the installation of additional screening, fencing, or vegetative plantings. If you are an adjacent property owner with concerns about proximity to the proposed facility, trespassing, or other safety concerns, please contact kaden@gobikebuffalo.org.

Trailheads, access points, parking, and other amenity locations will be determined throughout the design process.

 

Trailheads, access points, parking, and other amenity locations are still to be determined. Draft plans will include recommendations on access points, amenities, and parking. 

If you have locations in-mind that would make good access points, or conversely, that would not make good access points, GObike and Alta ask that you share those locations with our project team for review through the public input map, link above.

 

For multi-use or rail-trails across the nation, regular maintenance needs are modest. As the trail crosses through more than 20 towns and villages, the impact on any single municipality will be minimal. However, GObike will coordinate with all nearby municipalities and other stakeholders over the next two years to develop an operation and maintenance plan that can be executed once the trail is developed.

ECRT has been named Trail Manager by the Surface Transportation Board for a railbanked 27-mile portion of the Buffalo Pittsburgh Rail Corridor extending from Orchard Park south through the Village of Springville.

GObike received a grant from Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to complete the feasibility study for the Southern Tier Trail in 2021. The Southern Tier Trail is a proposed 80-mile trail connection between Buffalo and Hinsdale, which may incorporate all or parts of the Buffalo Pittsburgh Rail Corridor under lease by ECRT.

GObike and Colliers Engineering and Design were hired through an RFP process to complete the engineering and design phase of the project.

ECRT and GObike are separate legal entities.

The Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad owns the railbanked property under ECRT’s management. It is a federally-regulated transportation corridor that has been approved for use as a multi-use trail to preserve the integrity of the rail corridor.

The feasibility study will outline the design and construction of a shared-use pathway between the City of Buffalo and the southern end of the Genesee Valley Greenway in Hinsdale, NY. The study includes public outreach to gain community input on trail route alternatives, trail uses, and preferred design features. The final report will also include construction cost estimates for the selected route along with maintenance and management recommendations.

Project Partners