New funding targets Boonville streets, Clinton’s canal trail and an Empire State Trail entrance
Boonville, Clinton and Herkimer County are in line for about $5.57 million in federal transportation grants to improve walking, biking and access to local trails.
The awards, announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul on October 14, include $4.2 million for the Village of Boonville, $840,000 for the Village of Clinton and $527,200 for Herkimer County. They are part of more than $97 million awarded for 35 projects across New York.
For local residents, the plans focus on practical connections: a wider system of pedestrian and bicycle improvements in Boonville, more trail in Clinton and better access to the Empire State Trail in Herkimer County.
Where the local money will go
| Recipient | Announced award | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Village of Boonville | $4,200,000 | A connected system of pedestrian, bicycle, trail and streetscape improvements |
| Village of Clinton | $840,000 | A 2,000-foot extension of the Chenango Canal Trail |
| Herkimer County | $527,200 | Access improvements at the Acme Road entrance to the Empire State Trail |
| Total of these three awards | $5,567,200 | About $5.57 million, using the amounts listed by the state |
Source: New York governor’s October 14 award list. Award amounts are funding commitments, not the full cost of each project.
Boonville’s award is the largest of the three. The state describes a combined set of improvements, rather than a single trail segment. It does not name the affected streets or provide a construction schedule in the announcement.
Clinton’s planned extension is 2,000 feet, or a little under four-tenths of a mile. Herkimer County’s project focuses on the Acme Road entrance, so the announced funding should not be read as a rebuild of the entire Empire State Trail.
Why the regional headline says $7 million
The state groups the projects under a roughly $7 million Mohawk Valley allocation. That regional list also includes $1.4 million for the Village of Northville to build a multi-use path along South Main Street and South Main Street Extension.
The four listed awards add to about $6.97 million. The roughly $5.57 million figure in this story covers only Boonville, Clinton and Herkimer County. Keeping the two totals separate shows which money is tied to the three local projects.
What the award does, and what comes next
The money comes through the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives Program, administered by the New York State Department of Transportation. The program supports public projects such as sidewalks, crossings, shared-use paths and safer routes to schools.
NYSDOT says program funding can cover up to 80 percent of eligible project costs. The project sponsor must provide at least a 20 percent match. Eligible expenses can include planning, engineering, land acquisition, construction and inspection.
The funding announcement does not say when the three local projects will break ground or open. Those dates, final designs and any work-zone changes will require later project updates. For now, the awards establish funding for specific improvements, with the details of delivery still to come.
Source: Governor’s office and NYSDOT transportation grant announcement, October 14, 2026.