Design and Alignment of the Southern Tier Trail

Bid Due Date:

Fri, 11/01/2024 - 2:00pm

Department:

Economic Development, Planning and Tourism

Request for Proposal (RFP) for Design and Alignment of the Southern Tier Trail.

Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning, and Tourism released on September 17th, 2024.

This Request for Proposal is to complete the tasks associated with the RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) Funding which include the alignment, planning, design and construction documents for 52 miles of trail through Cattaraugus County.

Cattaraugus County is located in rural southwestern New York State. It is characterized by wooded hillsides interspersed with farm fields. The County has 42 municipalities, which include two cities, (Olean and Salamanca) nine villages and twenty-two towns.

Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism (EDPT) completed the Countywide Trail System Plan (https://www.CattCo.org/planning/trail-system-plan) with the purpose to preserve and promote the County’s natural resources, maximize opportunities for outdoor recreation, increase the number and options for active transportation, and capitalize on the outdoor tourism industry. The Plan objective included surveying existing trails, determining the feasibility of connecting existing trails (within and beyond Cattaraugus County), identifying potential trail corridors and recommending trail improvements and potential new trails. This study recommended connecting to larger Western NY trail networks, including the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail and the Genesee Valley Greenway.

EDPT has moved that recommendation forward by partnering with GObike Buffalo, funded by The Ralph C. Wilson Foundation, completing a feasibility study in February of 2021 for the Southern Tier Trail (STT) (https://GoBikeBuffalo.org/project/southern-tier-trail-feasibility-study). The study consisted of community outreach and an assessment for the design and construction of a shared-use bicycle and pedestrian path between the City of Buffalo, NY and the southern end of Genesee Valley Greenway State Park in Hinsdale NY, completing a full regional trail loop of Western New York. The route is intended to follow the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Rail corridor to the greatest extent possible from Buffalo to the City of Salamanca and along the Allegheny River from the City of Salamanca to the Town of Hinsdale. The corridor runs through two counties, 11 towns, three villages, and a portion of the Seneca Nation of Indians Allegany Territory.

The Southern Tier Trail (STT) project in Cattaraugus County will be a total of 52 miles of pedestrian infrastructure that will connect 11 communities in Cattaraugus County. Currently along this corridor, there are only 7 miles that have pedestrian, bicycle facilities, of which most are inadequate, and not ADA compliant. The goal of the STT will be to improve and expand the bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and ensure that the infrastructure is safe and comfortable for use by persons of all ages and abilities. Once developed, STT will provide a safe, affordable and accessible active transportation option for the lower income and underserved populations by connecting them with the option to walk or bike to the critical amenities in their area, which include jobs, healthcare, grocery stores, libraries and schools.

EDPT applied for and was funded by the United States Department of Transportation for RAISE 2023 Funding. This Request for Proposal is to complete the tasks associated with the RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) Funding which include the alignment, planning, design and construction documents for 52 miles of trail through Cattaraugus County. The 52 miles will cross into eleven municipalities.