Canal Culvert appears to be crumbling

Resident tries to raise awareness of deterioration

Photos by Tom Rivers – Dave Nixon stands in front of the Canal Culvert in the town of Ridgeway. He said the structure is showing deterioration and should be repaired.

MEDINA — Dave Nixon drives through the tunnel often. The Canal Culvert, the only road that goes under the canal, carries a sense of mystery and awe.

Nixon, a retired car dealer, is amazed at the engineering and might that was used to create the culvert in the 1820s. The site has been featured on Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

Nixon the past three years has been trying to get State Canal Corp. officials to take notice of the deterioration in the stone in the culvert, particularly on the south side.

Chucks of the stone have flaked off. Nixon spends his winters in North Carolina. He returned to his Culvert Road home two weeks ago and was startled to see more damage on the Culvert.

“The water freezes and it breaks up the stone,” Nixon said, pointing to the damage. “I want to save the Culvert. It’s on its way to being lost.”

Nixon has contacted other state officials about the decline and so far hasn’t seen any attention to the problem. He wants to see the stone repointed and other repairs made to preserve one of the county’s most iconic structures.

“This is important to the community not only for transportation, but for its historic value,” he said.

He also knows it’s part of the area’s charm.

“People go through and blow their horns,” Nixon said.