During the nation's infancy, Americans in the mid-Atlantic region took an idea put forth by George Washington and created the Chesapeake and Ohio canal… a 184 mile waterway running between Washington, D.C. and Cumberland, Maryland. The canal was an important transportation corridor for commerce in the 19th century.  Today, the canal is a destination for hikers and bike riders who use the waterway's tow path for recreation. Unfortunately, a mile and a half chunk of the tow path has become impassable due to erosion over the generations. But Cianbro is preparing to restore the path and intends to have the job done by December of 2011.