Delaware & Lehigh Heritage Corridor Breaks Ground On Trail Connector Project

The Carbon County Commissioners and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Wednesday held a groundbreaking for the Carbon County Trail Connectivity Project on the Lehighton Spur of the D&L Trail behind Red Castle Brewery in Lehighton, PA.

The $385,000 project consists of several components:

-- Connection of the D&L Trail from the Weissport, Lehigh Canal Park Trailhead to Lehighton through the installation of “share the road” signage and street markings along Bridge Street in Weissport.

-- Connection of the D&L Trail from Bridge Street to the “share the road” section of Lehigh Drive in Lehighton with the installation of an ADA compatible trail connection behind Red Castle Brewery.

-- The installation of a pedestrian crossing at Route 895 and Riverview Road in East Penn Township. This work will also include an ADA compatible approach to the D&L Trailhead at Marvin Gardens.

--  The installation of “share the road” signage from the Route 895 pedestrian crossing to the D&L East Penn Boat Launch Trailhead along Riverview Road in East Penn Township.

Funding for the project is being provided by the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, William Penn Foundation and matching funds from the construction of the new PA Turnpike Bridge in Parryville.

This project will provide safer, more continuous trail access for local residents and the eliminate three gaps, while the D&L works toward its goal to connect the 165-mile D&L Trail by 2020.  

The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2016 by Semmel Excavating, Inc. of Allentown.

With the completion of this project along with the upcoming D&L pedestrian bridge in Jim Thorpe in 2017, Carbon County will be the first of the five counties in which the 165 mile long runs to be completed in its entirety.

Questions should be directed to Scott Everett, Trail Manager, by calling 610-923-3548 ext 232 or send email to: scott@delawareandlehigh.org.

For more information, visit the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates on D&L Heritage Corridor activities (bottom of the page).