Editing Erie Canal (section)

===Commercial decline===
Freight traffic reached a total of 5.2 million short tons (4.7 million metric tons) by 1951. The growth of railroads and highways across the state, and the opening of the [[St. Lawrence Seaway]] in 1959, caused commercial traffic on the canal to decline dramatically during the second half of the 20th century. Since the 1990s, the canal system has been used primarily by recreational traffic.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gargan |first=Edward A. |date=1984-08-08 |title=A NEW DAY'S A-BORNING ON THE SLEEPY ERIE CANAL |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/08/nyregion/a-new-day-s-a-borning-on-the-sleepy-erie-canal.html |access-date=2025-05-16 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Canal Recreationway Commission |url=https://www.canals.ny.gov/About/Canal-Recreationway-Commission |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=NYS Canals |language=en}}</ref>