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Harbor Brook: Proposed Environmental Benefit Project

Enhanced Use of Corridor

In a move to restore a portion of the Harbor Brook corridor between Bishop Ludden Junior-Senior High School to Fowler High School, ASLF has recently proposed an Environmental Ben­efit Project (EBP). The EBP would start with a feasibility study to determine and, where possible, implement wildlife enhancement, wetland restoration, environmental education centered on various schools located within the corridor, and the possibility of a trail along the creek.

Wildlife enhancement would center on improved habitat created by removing exotic species, obstacles to migration (where feasible), and new plantings of native species. Wetland restoration would center on a wooded wetland that was severely damaged in the Labor Day Storm of 1998, a cattail marsh just west of the City of Syracuse boundary, and other existing wet­lands in the City.

The proposed Harbor Brook Trail could eventually link with existing lake trails.

Environmental education programs would be created in a partnership with three high schools and Delaware Elementary School. Emphasis would be placed on integrating outdoor education experiences along the creek with existing curriculum and also forming “Harbor Brook Clubs” to work on specific aspects of the project. In the case of the two City of Syracuse schools, programs would be integrated as much as possible with the on-going school/neigh­borhood renovation and enhancement program.

The trail feasibility aspect of the project would center on constructing a nature trail along the creek from Bishop Ludden into the City as far as Fowler High School. This trail has been pro­posed previously and is desired by residents in the area. If a trail could be constructed, the hope is that it could eventually be extended to Onondaga Lake and tie into the Loop-the-Lake trail now under construction. The project team would identify 3 route alterna­tives, using the NYSDOT Highway Design Manual, AASHSTO Guide for Development of Bicycle Facilities, and ADA guides. The trail project would comply with federal and NYSDOT funding guidelines and use the existing SMTC CMAQ air quality analysis. The project team will determine the severity of flood events and associated effects on the creek trail using the FEMA HEC-2 flood model. Evaluations will be carried out to de­termine possible environmental, social and economic benefits that would accrue from the construc­tion of a trail along Harbor Brook.

The program would take approximately two years to imple­ment and with additional time for implementing other projects as they become feasible.