New York Power Authority, New York State Canal Corp. unveil final installation of iconic lighting program

LED lighting highlights CSX Railroad crossing over Erie Canal between Tonawanda & North Tonawanda

√ Photos of illuminated structure here

New York Power Authority Press Release

The New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corp. unveiled the final installation of an iconic lighting program in Western New York. Spanning the Erie Canal between the City of Tonawanda and City of North Tonawanda in Niagara County, the CSX Railroad crossing is now illuminated nightly with LED lighting as a focal point over the historic waterway.

“As stewards of the New York State Canal system, and with the Erie Canal celebrating its bicentennial next year, the iconic lighting program is the perfect way to reflect on our past while considering the important role the canal will continue to play for future generations,” New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said. “This lighting installation will draw new interest and enthusiasm for the waterway at its western terminus and to all the Tonawandas have to offer.”

The newly illuminated railroad crossing joins Erie Canal Lock E-17 in Little Falls, as well as the Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal in Monroe County, and two Oneida Lake lighthouses – one in Brewerton, in Oswego County, and another at Verona Beach in Oneida County.

New York State Canal Corp.’s Brian U. Stratton said, “This innovative program celebrates the canal waterway and its connection to so many communities by literally putting them in the spotlight. Residents and visitors alike will enjoy these beacons of light across New York for years to come as they take advantage of the endless recreational opportunities the historic and very vibrant Erie Canal has to offer.”

City of Tonawanda Mayor John L. White said, “The lighting of the railroad bridge across the Erie Canal highlights our city’s connection to the historic waterway, rail industry, and to our neighbors in North Tonawanda. I cannot thank Gov. Hochul and our partners in government at the Power Authority and Canal Corp. enough for including us in this program.”

City of North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec said, “North Tonawanda expresses our heartfelt gratitude to Gov. Hochul, the New York Power Authority, and the New York State Canal Corp. for illuminating our iconic bridge connecting the Tonawandas over the historic Erie Canal.”

NYPA and the Canal Corp. contracted with New York City-based Office for Visual Interaction (OVI), an architectural lighting design firm, and LiRo Engineers Inc. (LiRo), based on Long Island, to create these energy-efficient lighting installations that complement the historic features of each canal structure.

In 2023, the iconic lighting program was internationally recognized with a prestigious LIT Lighting Design Award for the illumination of infrastructure along the New York State Canal system. OVI and the program won in the “Community Building Lighting” category. Last year’s LIT Lighting Design Awards attracted over 800 submissions from 58 countries.

New York’s Canal system includes four canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga – Seneca. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique and historic communities.

The New York State Canal Corp. is a subsidiary of the New York Power Authority.

Flickr photo link