Is the Erie Canal still a high-traffic waterway?

No. There were 42 commercial shipments on the canal in 2008 compared to 33000 in 1855. [1] Hints of Comeback for Nation's First Superhighway. read more

There were 42 commercial shipments on the canal in 2008 compared to 33,000 in 1855. [1] Hints of Comeback for Nation’s First Superhighway This page may be out of date. read more

Barge Traffic Increases Along Erie Canal New York's Erie Canal is reviving its history to again be an economic corridor for commercial shipping through upstate New York — after decades of being mostly used by recreational boats. read more

The Erie Canal connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes through the Port of New York and the Hudson & Mohawk Rivers, cutting the time needed via the St. Lawrence significantly. That made the Port of New York the most important in 19h Century America, surpassing Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Charleston. read more