Clarkson University Students Support Long-Term Planning for St. Lawrence County Trail System
St. Lawrence County residents are invited to help shape the future of the county’s multi-use recreational trail system at a public input session later this month, part of a research and planning effort led by Clarkson University students.
The session is connected to an ongoing partnership between the county and Clarkson’s Construction Engineering Management Consulting Group, known as C3G. The student-led team is evaluating the county’s extensive trail network to support long-term planning, improvements, accessibility and safety.
Since 2006, St. Lawrence County has worked to showcase its natural beauty and attract visitors through its trail system. The county now manages approximately 130 miles of multi-use trails and 600 miles of snowmobile trails that support recreation, tourism and local businesses.
As trail use continues to grow and the system expands, county leaders are planning for sustainable management and enhancements both along the trails and in surrounding communities.
C3G students are collecting field data, mapping and analyzing trail conditions, assessing accessibility and studying the trails’ economic impact on the rural economy. Using drones and geographic information systems technology, the team is gathering data and meeting with local officials and community members involved in the trail network.
The team is led by Sheanesu Gondo, a master’s student in civil and environmental engineering at Clarkson and project manager for the initiative. Faculty advisers include Erik Backus, director of Clarkson’s construction engineering management program, and William Olsen, professor of practice and GIS coordinator.
C3G is an in-house Clarkson team that provides preprofessional consulting services in planning, engineering and construction. The group is staffed by undergraduate and graduate students and supervised by faculty in Clarkson’s construction engineering management program.
More information about the St. Lawrence County Multi-Use Recreational Trail System is available at www.stlawco.gov/MultiUseTrails.
Community Input Session Details:
- Date: Feb. 26, 2026
- Time: 6 p.m.
- Location: Colton-Pierrepont Central School Auditorium, 4921 State Highway 56, Colton
- Virtual option: https://bit.ly/trails26
Attendees will receive project updates, ask questions, share feedback and help shape the future of the county’s trail system. A community survey will also be released to gather additional input from residents and trail users.
