If you’ve ever walked, jogged, or biked the Onondaga Creekwalk, you know it’s one of Syracuse’s best kept secrets — a 4.8-mile paved trail that winds from the shore of Onondaga Lake through the heart of downtown. But right now, the trail just… stops. At West Colvin Street, the pavement ends and you’re on your own.
That’s about to change.
Phase 3 of the Creekwalk Extension Project will push the trail 3 additional miles south along the Onondaga Creek corridor, from West Colvin Street all the way to Dorwin Avenue. When complete, the Creekwalk will stretch nearly 8 miles — connecting Syracuse’s Southside neighborhoods to downtown, Armory Square, and Onondaga Lake in a continuous, car-free corridor.
What’s Being Built
This isn’t just more pavement. Phase 3 includes a complete rethinking of the creek corridor through some of Syracuse’s most underserved neighborhoods. Here’s what the project entails:
- 3 miles of new multi-use trail — paved, accessible, and designed for walkers, runners, and cyclists
- New pedestrian bridges replacing aging crossings
- Upgraded roadway crossings for safer street intersections
- Rain gardens and bioswales — green infrastructure to manage stormwater
- Permeable pavement — both porous concrete and asphalt surfaces
- Retaining walls and gabion structures to handle varied terrain
- Sustainable landscaping along the corridor
CREEKWALK BY THE NUMBERS
The Route: West Colvin to Dorwin
Phase 3 picks up where the current trail ends at West Colvin Street and follows the Onondaga Creek corridor south through the Valley, one of Syracuse’s most historically significant — and historically neglected — neighborhoods.
The creek itself has been central to the neighborhood’s identity for generations. Before European settlement, Onondaga Creek was a vital waterway for the Onondaga Nation. Today, it cuts through the urban landscape, often hidden behind fences and overgrown banks. The trail extension aims to reclaim that relationship — making the creek an asset rather than a barrier.
The terminus at Dorwin Avenue puts the trail within reach of neighborhoods that currently have limited access to recreational infrastructure. For families on the Southside, this means a safe, off-road path connecting them to Kirk Park, downtown employers, and eventually the lakefront — all without getting in a car.
The Bigger Picture: Three Trails, One Network
The Creekwalk extension doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s part of a regional vision that the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC) has been working toward for years:
- Onondaga Creekwalk — the city’s flagship trail, soon to be nearly 8 miles
- Loop the Lake Trail — Onondaga County’s trail circling Onondaga Lake
- Empire State Trail — New York State’s 750-mile trail connecting NYC to Canada and Albany to Buffalo
When all three are complete, a continuous multi-use trail network will link municipalities across a huge swath of Onondaga County. You’ll be able to walk or bike from the Southside of Syracuse to Liverpool, Solvay, Geddes, and beyond — all on dedicated paths.
Green Infrastructure That Actually Works
One of the most forward-thinking elements of Phase 3 is the stormwater management built into the trail itself. Syracuse gets an average of about 38 inches of precipitation annually, and the Southside is particularly vulnerable to flooding along the creek corridor.
The project includes:
- Rain gardens — planted depressions that absorb runoff before it reaches the creek
- Permeable concrete and asphalt — surfaces that let water filter through rather than run off
- Vegetated swales — channels that slow and filter stormwater naturally
- Stone gabion walls — erosion control structures that stabilize steep banks
This is infrastructure that does double duty: recreation on the surface, flood mitigation underneath. It’s the kind of smart design that cities across the country are adopting, and Syracuse is getting it right.
WHY IT MATTERS
Trail access isn’t just a lifestyle perk — it’s an equity issue. Syracuse’s Southside neighborhoods have long lacked the kind of recreational infrastructure that wealthier suburbs take for granted. The Creekwalk extension directly addresses that gap, connecting underserved communities to jobs, parks, and the lakefront without requiring a car. It also brings green infrastructure to flood-prone areas and adds value to a part of the city that deserves the investment.
Community Input Still Welcome
The city held public meetings to gather resident input on the extension, and feedback from those sessions is being incorporated into the design. If you live along the corridor or use the existing Creekwalk, the city wants to hear from you. Check the City of Syracuse project page for updates and future meeting dates.
The Bottom Line
The Creekwalk is already one of Syracuse’s most popular trails — and it’s about to get 60% longer. Phase 3 will add 3 miles of accessible, sustainably-built trail into neighborhoods that need it most, while connecting to the larger Loop the Lake and Empire State Trail networks. For the Southside, it’s not just a path — it’s a bridge to the rest of the city. For Syracuse as a whole, it’s proof that smart infrastructure investment doesn’t always mean highways and parking garages. Sometimes the best thing a city can build is a place to walk.
Sources: City of Syracuse, SMTC, C&S Companies, 570 WSYR
