Abandoned old Erie Canal locks

This section of an older abandoned dry alignment of the Erie Canal is visible from the New York State Thruway/Interstate 90. Enlarged Erie Canal Lock No. 52 is located just north of the Village of Port Byron, Town of Mentz, Cayuga County, N.Y. It is a double-chamber lock, with the south chamber double-length on the west (foot) end. The lock had an 11.298 foot descent to the west. The lock is located on the edge of the New York State Thruway. Because of its accessibility and condition, plans are underway to turn the lock and the adjacent buildings (owned by the Canal Society of New York State) into a historical center accessible from both the Thruway and the village.