Olympic Trail Scenic Byway NYS Route 3 from Sackets Harbor, NY to the Adirondack Blue Line Segment Corridor Management Plan Project

Vision Statement

Communities along the western segment of the Olympic Byway envision a high quality product that supports, enhances, and builds sustainable economic & community development opportunities through tourism and resource management; boosts community pride and spirit; provides travelers with a consistent thematic experience; and offers visitors quality services and accommodations that contribute to a positive traveling experience.

Theme Statement

Natural Water Resources:

An abundance of lakes, rivers, streams and ponds, etched out during the "Ice Age" with open space, woodland, and wetland areas to support local wildlife and fishing habitats along the western segment of the corridor i.e. Lakes Ontario, Star, Cranberry, Tupper, Saranac, Placid, & Champlain and the Black, Oswegotchie, Raquette, and Ausable Rivers. Also noted by canoeists and kayakers traveling the Black River and local residents are natural rock cavern's, crevices and formations sprinkled along the trail.

Historical & Archeological:

Diverse European backgrounds influenced architectural styles & designs and are reflected in historical structures that date back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries in each community along the corridor and include area churches, cathedrals, museums, and libraries. Native American relics can still be found along the corridor along with remnants of early settlements and commerce -ship building, military support and defense, agriculture, multiple manufacturing and paper mills, and retail commerce to support community and economic development.

Outdoor Recreation:

Local municipal parks constructed from historical ruins/sites important to the development of the local community offer picnic areas, walking, hiking, and bicycle trails, cross-country skiing, and parking for motorized vehicles. In addition, water-based outdoor recreational opportunities include boating, kayaking, and/or fishing along waterfront areas along the corridor. Westcott Beach State Park and Thompson Park and the New York State Living Museum offer additional opportunities that range from swimming to camping and tours to further enhance the visitor's experience. Local snowmobile and ATV Clubs maintain interconnected multi-use recreational trail systems supported by private business owners offering retail services and accommodations to visitors.

Cultural (Folk Life & Small Town Character):

The working agrarian landscape is limited to the segment of Rt. 3 from Sackets Harbor to Watertown, however, local farmer markets and multiple variations of produce stands sprinkled along the corridor depict a culture that reflect the rural heritage of the area. Contributing to local flavor of the area are artisans and crafters along the trail offering a unique peek at rural folk life in upstate New York through the sale of handmade products and workshops that demonstrate their craft. Area festivals and events celebrate diverse nationalities and the cultural heritage throughout the year -German, Italian, Irish, River & Dairy Festivals, Agricultural Fairs, and Woodsmen & Fireman Field Days, to name a few

Scenic Landscapes:

An emphasis upon outdoor recreational opportunities centered around waterways, open space, woodlands, wetlands, and historical & archeological themes combined with the changing of seasons provide scenic vistas along a multitude of lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, and ponds that traverse the corridor.

Goals & Objectives

Goal: is to create and strengthen new and existing economic development opportunities through unified efforts to build upon communities along the corridor through the promotion and marketing of corridor resources to attract new and repeat visitors.

Objective: is to support ongoing local community initiatives and build regional development through unified efforts to expand the economic base through tourism by enhancing and maintaining corridor resources. Local initiatives currently underway include:

• Five neighboring communities participating in a Rt. 3 Sewer Project along an 8-mile stretch of Route 3 from the City of Watertown boundary to the hamlet of Great Bend are advancing efforts to incorporate guidelines and recommendations into their local law to plan future development.
• Residents, local officials, and business owners in the Village of Sackets Harbor and Town of Hounsfield are concluding a 1½-year visioning process to plan next steps in directing future development.
• As one of 13 Urban Central Park Communities, the Village of Sackets Harbor continues the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate/renovate/ and adaptive reuse of historical buildings. In addition, Sackets Harbor received a $25,000 "Main Street New York" grant for streetscape improvements and the Town of Hounsfield received a "Technical Assistance" grant from the Office of Small Cities to assist in strategic planning.
• The City of Watertown recently received notification of its "Quality Communities" designation, which will direct funding to enhance economic development opportunities to the City of Watertown.
• Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan (LWRP) for development along the Black River in the City of Watertown
• The Villages of Carthage and West Carthage received a Joint $600,000 Microenterprise Façade and Public Improvement Community Development Block Grant for Downtown businesses along Routes 26 & 3.
• Phase I of the Long Falls Park Project is being funded through the Office of Parks and Recreation and the Chamber of Commerce managed the construction of a Farmers Market for the Village of Carthage and Town of Wilna.
  
• The River Area Council of Government (RACOG) has applied for a NYS Department of Transportation Grant through the Quality Communities Initiative for a "Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Downtown Plan in the Villages of Carthage and West Carthage.
  
• The Village of Harrisville recently received $25,000 "Main Street New York" grant to construct a pedestrian bridge from the mainland to Grand View Island and the construction of a vehicular parking lot for travelers on the mainland.

Goal: To increase & enhance directional/interpretive signage & kiosks along the corridor to facilitate the travelers experience.

Objective: Identify site locations for signage and kiosks.

• Partner with the local and regional Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Councils to identify points of historic significance & interest to visitors.
• Local oversight of existing kiosks by a designated group/community representative/municipal department to maintain and enhance site locations.
• Provide visitors with updated information regarding points of interest and community events.
• Identify a central location for tourist/visitor/information.
• Strategically locate directional signage to attract visitors into downtown areas for services.

Goal: Develop new guidelines for commercial signage usage along the corridor to attract, inform, & direct tourist to local business establishments to support economic development initiatives.

Objective: To open discussions with NYS DOT to explore the creation of new guidelines for commercial signage along the corridor and to act upon the recommendations and guidelines once identified.

Goal: To reroute the designated Olympic Trail Scenic Byway from Route 3A to Scenic Route 3 along the Black River from the Village of Deferriet into the village of Carthage, located within the Town of Wilna and Jefferson County.

Objective: is to document corridor resources along Routes 3 & 3A as evidence to support the rerouting of the designated trail from Route 3A to Route 3 from the Village of Deferriet into the Village of Carthage based on the intrinsic qualities associated with a scenic byway. In addition, local and regional participation and discussion in developing a "Corridor Management Plan (CMP) would build a groundswell of public support that would be translated back to the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), the Department of Transportation and legislative representatives for formal action.

 

 

Home last updated 10/14/03