[mrsmith]

The Erie Canal won the civil war.
It should be preserved as a war monument.

[cripplecreek]

In the 1800s canals made economic sense. There were even multiple plans to dig a canal across southern Michigan from Lake Erie to Lake Michigan.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I’d like to sail down the Erie Canal from Lake Erie just to see and feel the age of this creation. I’d pick a nice 52 foot Sea Ray with an experienced captain, my wife and a few friends...

[Vigilanteman]

Only in socialist New York could a beautiful canal passing through one of the most populated corridors in the country become a money sinkhole.

Here in our backyard we have a scenic river which actually supports scores of private businesses it's entire length. These range from large canoe and kayak outfitters to mom and pop snack and bait shops.

Interestingly enough you can find abandoned parts of the original Erie Canal actually doing this on a scaled down basis.

[texas booster]

I had forgotten that the Eire Canal is one of many canals that cross NY state.

"The Erie Canal is the largest of the four canals in New York State's 524-mile canal system. The others are the Champlain, which runs from Troy to Lake Champlain; the Oswego, from the Syracuse area to Lake Ontario, and the Cayuga-Seneca, which branches from the Erie Canal to the Finger Lakes."

3 mph is the speed limit for most travel.

Maybe the Teamsters should fire their execs and spend that money on their history.

[Original Lurker]

And the ironic part is that the South probably financed 75% of the construction cost as three out of four dollars collected at the federal level came from the south (mainly VA, GA, SC & NC)..

Bulldoze it if it’s a federal money pit or let NY state fund it. I’m more than confident federal dollars worm their way into the canal coffers.

[DesScorp]

"The Erie Canal won the civil war. It should be preserved as a war monument."

In that case, it should be filled in and paved over.