	The Erie Canal was first proposed in the 1780s, then re-proposed in 1807. A survey was authorized, funded, and executed in 1808. Proponents of the project gradually wore down opponents; its construction began in 1817, and opened on October 26, 1825. In a time when bulk goods were limited to pack animals (a maximum), and there were no railways, water was the most cost-effective way to ship bulk goods. It was the first transportation system between the Eastern Seaboard and the western interior of the United States that did not require portage. 