| Two centuries after the Erie Canal opened, the historic shipping channel is being reimagined as public space for the 21st century. The 338-mile waterway stretching across New York State from Buffalo to Albany has become the focus of new state investments that blend infrastructure repair with cultural programming, environmental restoration and community-driven design.  Credit: Marie Patino Under the New York Power Authority’s Reimagine the Canals initiative, which began in 2021, new pedestrian bridges and parks will reconnect residents in small towns along the canal with the waterway. Projects also include wetland restoration, artist residency programs and canal-side festivals, turning the canal into a test bed for how aging infrastructure can meet social and ecological needs while still accommodating the occasional freighter. Read more from contributor Timothy A. Schuler today on CityLab: The Long Comeback of the Erie Canal — Arvelisse Bonilla Ramos | 
