You are viewing 21 posts in the category D & L Heritage Corridor
Get Your Tail on the Trail Program Wins National Recognition
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, a proud member of the Circuit Coalition, received national recognition at the 2015 International Trails Symposium hosted by American Trails for the Get Your Tail on the Trail program! They won the “Trails for Health Award,” recognizing their commitment to improving access to trails and promoting their use and importance for increasing physical activity. A truly remarkable program, Get Your Tail on the Trail is a community-based initiative geared toward promoting outdoor fitness activities in a fun, family environment.
Launched in May 2013, the initial 165-mile challenge aimed to engage 250 people in the program. Little did they know that in the first six months of the program, 2,455 people would have signed up and logged 255,392 miles. Today, Get Your Tail on the Trail has 4,870 participants who have logged 1,124,295.62 miles.
A model of collaboration, the program was created in 2013 by Elissa Garofalo, Executive Director of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Dr. Bonnie Coyle, St. Luke’s Director of Community Health and Kenneth Szydlow, Vice President of Marketing for St. Luke’s University Network. The program aims to expose families to outstanding opportunities along the D&L Trail while improving health awareness, providing nutrition and exercise programs, and promoting a culture of personal wellness and a sense of community built around the trail.
Congratulations on a well-deserved award!
2014 Highlights of the Circuit
2014 Milestones
- 12 miles of new trails were added, including the Boardwalk on Schuylkill Banks
- Manayunk Bridge and four other trails broke ground
- $13.2 million in federal, state and local grants were made in 2014 for Circuit projects.
- The Willilam Penn Foundation awarded $8.6 million for Circuit trails and a communications plan
- 8 counters were installed on Chester Valley Trail, Cynwyd, SRT at Kelly Drive, SRT at Pawlings Road, Lawrence Hopewell Trail, US 202 Parkway Trail, Wissahickon Trail.
- The Pennsylvania FY 2015-2018 Transportation Improvement Program committed an additional $1 million for Circuit projects in the next round of Transportation Alternatives awards and the five PA counties agreed to prioritize their Circuit trails for future funding.
- Coverage in 47 outlets that reached 89 million viewers
300 miles are now complete
The Circuit grew in 2014 through the opening of the following trails:
Eleven Ribbon Cuttings/Trail Openings
- Neshaminy Creek Trail - Doylestown & New Britain
- Pennypack North/South Extension
- Chester Valley Trail 2 & Trail 3
- Schuylkill River Trail-Boardwalk
- Kinkora Trail
- Lawrence Hopewell Pennington Connection
- Schuylkill River Trail-Leesport
- Baldwin Run Trail
- Poquessing Creek Trail (not an official Circuit Trail)
- Yellow Springs Trail (Valley Forge) (not an official Circuit Trail)
- Destination Peace Valley Trail (not an official Circuit Trail)
Five Groundbreakings
- Manayunk Bridge
- ECG- Baxter Trail
- Pennypack N/S Extension
- Sullivan's Bridge
- Schuylkill River Trail West (not an official Circuit trail)
Media Impressions
Number of Viewers/Readers Reached:
89,776,236
**Huffington Post Viewership: 54,657,952**
Estimated Advertising Value:
$349,257.10
**Does not include Huffington Post advertising value**
*All readership, unique viewers and advertising equivalency numbers are estimates based on the best available data
Major Messages
- As the trail network grows, small businesses are benefitting
- Key assets in the Circuit are being completed
- Collaboration leads to progress in trail development
- Philadelphia is one of the most accessible cities for cyclists
- The Circuit will make Philadelphia a world-class city for trail access
- Funding is key for further trail development
Media Placements:
- Since June, 47 different outlets covered stories
- More than 16 TV segments
- An impressive 8 Inquirer stories
- All 4 Major Philly news channels covered events
50 Miles in Progress
Circuit Trails in the 9 county region were awarded $13.2 million in federal, state and local funding.
400 Miles to Go
We expect the following trails in the coming years to open:
2015:
- Manayunk Bridge
- Bartram’s Mile
- SRT in Phoenixville and along the tow path in Mont Clare
- Baxter Trail
- Pennypack between Welsh Road and Byberry Road (Bryn Athyn)
2016:
- Ben Franklin Bridge ramp,
- Chester Valley Trail in Montgomery County
- new bridge over the Schuylkill River at Valley Forge
Bike Jim Thorpe Bridge to Support The D&L
BIKING SEASON ISN'T OVER YET!
Show your support for completing the D&L Trail!
Jim Thorpe, PA
Saturday, November 8th
It's a big project that needs your BIG support. Help us make this critical connection to link all five counties of the D&L Trail.
Registration: $29, or $45 with bike rental.
Call 1-800-944-8392 to reserve your space.
Riders will enjoy biking the beautiful D&L Trail in the off-season from one of our newest trailheads in Luzerne County. From there we will pedal through the Lehigh Gorge, past Rockport and Penn Haven Junction to historic downtown Jim Thorpe. We’ll ride along the Lehigh River and some of the most scenic mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Bike for the Bridge will bring riders together to enjoy this beautiful landscape and support a good cause. Please join us on one of the last big bike rides of the season.
We know you expect the D&L Trail to be easily accessible, convenient and provide a great outdoor experience. This ride is fully supported with bike techs and water stations. Riders, and their bikes, will be shuttled from downtown Jim Thorpe to their starting destination.
Choose your option for this ride:
• 36 miles from Black Diamond Trailhead to Jim Thorpe (10 a.m. start)
• 15 miles from Rockport to Jim Thorpe (12:30 p.m. start)
All proceeds will benefit the building the pedestrian bridge. This project will help complete the D&L Trail as it crosses the Lehigh River from historic downtown Jim Thorpe to the Lehigh Canal Towpath and Weissport Trailhead.
To register for this event, please call Pocono Biking to reserve your spot:
1-800-944-8392
Registration will also be available the morning of the event.
(Online registration is not available.)
For more information, please visit our website: Bike for the Bridge
Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway To Host Bike Train Excursions June 7th and 8th
This weekend (June 7th and 8th) the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in conjunction with Pocono Biking will be hosting bike train excursions between Jim Thorpe and White Haven. Dropping off bicyclists at the White Haven trailhead of the Delaware and Lehigh Trail for a 25 mile rail trail ride back to Jim Thorpe. There will be two departures each day at 10 AM and 2PM. Tickets and bike rentals can be secured with advanced reservation only. For more info go to http://poconobiking.com/trails/train-and-bike/
Pocono Biking has also expanded their bike shuttle service to include the Black Diamond and "Appalachian Trail" (Jim Thorpe to Cementon in Lehigh County) sections of the D&L. It is now possible during a weekend stay in Jim Thorpe to explore the entire 60 mile northern section of the D&L in the (slightly) downhill direction without riding out and back.
There are numerous lodgings in Jim Thorpe. Another outfitter in downtown Jim Thorpe, Blue Mountain Sports offers bike rentals and shuttles for the Lehigh Gorge as well as the more challenging Switchback Trail. Finally there is daily direct bus service between Jim Thorpe and Philadelphia via Susquehanna Trailways. You will want to a rent a bike if you choose the bus to avoid the hassle of boxing and unboxing your bike.
D&L Towpath Repairs Continue South of Easton
Delaware Canal State Park contractors continue work on repairing the flood damaged canal prism (the berm that carries the towpath) with the hopes of the reopening a closed section of the D&L Trail in the Spring. This section of the towpath has been closed since the canal wall collapsed from flooding associated with Tropical Depression Lee in September 2011. For those that have been blurred by memories of Irene and Sandy, Lee was a storm that added to the inland flooding misery created by Hurricane Irene.
As of Late October work on the breach in Raubsville, Williams Township just north of the Bucks/Northampton County Line has been repaired and work on restoring the Towpath is now in progress. Other repair projects in Easton and near New Hope are also in progress.
The Delaware and Lehigh Canal towpath sections of the D&L are extremely vulnerable to flooding, we commend DCNR the D&L Trail Alliance and the Friends of the Delaware Canal's committment to preserving this historic transportation corridor.
Route 13 Passageway Ribbon Cutting
Route 13 Passageway Ribbon Cutting
D&L Trail - Del. Canal Towpath at Tullytown
145 Levittown Parkway, Levittown, PA
https://maps.google.com/?q=145+Levittown+Parkway+Levittown+PA
Safe Trail Crossing Presentations Available
The Delaware & Lehigh Trail Alliance hosted the “Safe Trail Crossings for Eastern Pennsylvania” workshop on October 2nd in Allentown, PA. As part of that conference, several excellent presentations were made.
Christy Staudt: Trail Crossing Design 101
Steve Pohowsky: Trail Crossing Agreements & Trail Crossings of State Highways
A third presentation on risk mitigation and liability by PennDOT counsel, Steve Roth, was not approved for distribution, but we encourage anyone interested in the topic to contact Steve as a potential speaker: .
How Savvy Businesses Take Advantage of the D&L Trail
- A 2012 survey of the D&L Trail shows over $19,076,000 total economic impact with $16,358,201 estimated as going directly into the local economy. Survey respondents reported spending an average $33.49 per visit in locally-owned shops!
- Is your signage visible and well-designed? Clearly stating what is sold?
- Do you promote trail user amenities such as free Wi-Fi & restrooms?
- Are your store windows clean and well lit at night?
- Is your façade appearance well-maintained and in good repair?
How’s your customer service?
- Are customers greeted warmly when they enter?
- Can your employees answer questions about the town and region? Do they do so in a friendly manner?
- Do your store hours match customer needs? Be open for events and large tour dates.
- Water fountain
- Rest rooms
- Simple, hearty and healthy snacks & food
- Ice cream and/or good beer
- Wireless Internet & phone charging stations
- Trash cans
- Maps of the Trail, town and region
- Souvenirs of the town and region such as postcards
- Bike rack
- Benches
- Sign the Trail through town with D&L wayfinding sign templates
- Decide the best locations for kiosks, maps and trailhead signage
- Develop a trail information page on your municipal webpage
- Be an advocate for making your community more trail-friendly
- Get involved on-line w/ local trail “friends” groups showing you are “one of them”
- Sponsor a “clean up” section of the Trail
- Sponsor trail-related mini events w/ your business name and t-shirts (free bike wash; hot dogs, etc.)
- Promote town-to town bike rides and walks.
September Events #onthecircuit
Circuit Commitment Campaign Events
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Brandywine Tour - September 1st
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Cooper River - September 7th
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Scenic Schuylkill Century - September 8th
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Chester Valley Trail - September 21st
Circuit Commitment Campaign Talk at TTF Meeting - September 24th
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Bucks County - September 28th
Circuit Special Events
Delaware River Heritage Trail Ribbon Cutting - September 8th
Delaware River Heritage Ride - September 8th
Cynwyd Heritage Trail Planting Prep - September 14th
Discover the Hidden River at Gray's Ferry Crescent - September 20-22nd
Millennium Bridge Lighting Ceremony on Schuylkill Banks - September 26th
Kayak, Riverboat Tours & Movie Nights
Schuylkill Banks Movie Night - Moonrise Kingdom - September 5th
Secrets of the Schuylkill Riverboat Tour - September 5th
Basic Schuylkill Banks Kayak Tours - September 5th-28th
Schuylkill Riverboat Tour to Bartram's Garden - September 8th
Basic Schuylkill River Kayak Tours - September 8th
Schuylkill Banks Movie Night - Rocky - September 12th
Schuylkill Riverboat to Bartram's Garden - September 14th
Basic Schuylkill Banks Kayak Tour - September 21st
Moonlight Schuylkill Banks Kayak Tour - September 21st
Secrets of the Schuylkill Riverboat Tour - September 21st
Basic Schuylkill Banks Kayak Tour - September 28th
Rides & Walks
Early Bird Rate for Cycles & Cemeteries Ride - September 5th
Delaware River Heritage Trail Ride - September 8th
Cycles and Cemeteries Ride - September 21st
West Laurel Hill Woof Walk - September 21st
Get Your Tail on the Trail - September 28th
Fundraisers
2013 Philly Fun Fishing Fest - September 7th
Trust 5K Walk/Run on the D&L - September 7th
Dance on Falls Bridge - September 7th
Friends of Schuylkill Bank Soiree - September 14th
Conferences & Meetings
2013 Pennsylvania Greenways and Trail Summit - September 15-17th
Cobbs Creek Trail pre-proposal RFP meeting - September 12th
PA and NJ Trail Caucus Meetings Coming In June
On behalf of The Circuit Coalition, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia invites you to the launch of the Circuit Commitment Campaign.
We are bringing together trail enthusiasts and supporters like you for two informational sessions in June (one for PA, one for NJ). These caucus meetings are the kickoff to the Circuit Commitment Campaign.
The Circuit Commitment Campaign's goal is to replenish the DVRPC (Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission)'s Regional Trail Fund, which is a competitive grant program established by the William Penn Foundation in 2010. The fund is distributing nearly $10 million in our nine-county region, and is helping plan, design and build nearly 40 miles of trail.
This grant program, if continued, could have a major impact on our trails! So we need people like you, who want to see The Circuit's unfinished trails built, to encourage County Commissioners (in Pennsylvania) & Freeholders (in New Jersey) to allocate a second $10 million for the years 2014-2016. This money will continue the momentum of that first grant cycle, moving us closer to realizing the vision of a region connected by a world-class network of bike-ped trails: The Circuit.
Get involved in creating new trails for your community by attending your state's trail caucus!
The Pennsylvania Caucus
June 17th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Haverford Community, Recreation & Environmental Center
Register to attend here
New Jersey Caucus
June 19th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Camden County Boathouse
Register to attend here
The Pennsylvania Caucus meeting will provide an overview of the next set of Circuit trails currently under development in Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia Counties.
The New Jersey Caucus meeting will provide an overview of the next set of Circuit trails currently under development in Mercer, Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties.
At each meeting, we will also discuss the campaign goal and how you can help get this trail funding secured.
Accessible Trails Workshop in Easton PA
The Delaware & Lehigh Trail Heritage Corridor is putting on the Accessible Trails for Eastern Pennsylvania -- A Workshop on June 4th for trail developers, land managers, municipalities and trail users.
PS- Space is limited, so please register now. Contact Loretta Susen at 610-923-3548 x221 or .
Bulls Island Bridge To Close For Construction
The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission has announced that The Lumberville-Raven Rock Pedestrian Bridge is scheduled to be shut down at 7AM on Monday, March 4. The bridge closure is expected to remain in place for at least two months. During the shutdown period, pedestrians and bicyclists are urged to use the Centre Bridge-StocktonBridge ( 3.4 miles to the south) or the Uhlerstown-Frenchtown Bridge (9.2 miles to the north) as alternative river crossing points. The Bulls Island Campground remains closed for 2013 due to storm damage.
The suspension bridge was built in 1947 by John Roebling and Sons. The same firm that designed and built the Brooklyn and Golden Gate bridges. You can learn more about Roebling's legacy at the Roebling Museum, which is located in Roebling, NJ of course and is in line with the future Delaware River Heritage Trail.
The Lumberville - Raven Rock Bridge. Photo credit: mtsofan on Twitter.
D&L Trail Alliance Maps Out Future Trail Openings
Scott Everett, Trails Manager for the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, recently issued a report that provided a look ahead at current and future projects to complete the 165 mile Delaware and Lehigh Trail. When the trail is complete it will connect the Wilkes Barre area of Northeast Pennsylvania with the East Coast Greenway in Bristol.
Several major gaps in the trail are being filled as we speak. In the Bucks County section of the D&L the first of the 5 barriers on the lower section of the trail is expected to go under construction. The Route 13 Tunnel construction project has been let (awarded to a contractor) and construction will begin in the next few months. A second tunnel project under the CSX Tracks south of Morrisville has been delayed because of funding and land ownership issues. Finally a third barrier, the trail design for the dangerous Route 13 crossing at Green Lane in Bristol Township, is currently undergoing a design review process by PENNDOT project managers. PENNDOT will construct the connection as part of the Route 13 Revitalization project.
Meanwhile to the north the D&L Heritage Corridor is frantically piecing together a continuous trail in Northampton, Lehigh, Carbon and Luzerne Counties. The pieces include:
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The 10 mile Black Diamond Trail is currently under construction and will connect the Lehigh Gorge terminous at White Haven to the appropriately-named Mountain Top at an elevation of 1700 feet. This will be the new northern terminus and should be completed this spring.
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A proposed pedestrian bridge just south of Jim Thorpe would connect the Lehigh Gorge section to the Lehigh Canal. The current construction estimate is in 2014.
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Completion of the Lehighton Trailhead in the Spring.
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A package of small connector projects which will fill in the remaining gaps in Carbon County.
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Upgrading the Freemansburg section of the Lehigh Canal in Northampton County from dirt and grass to crushed stone. Completion should arrive later this year.
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A short connecting trail between Hugh Moore Canal Park and the Palmer Township trail west of Easton.
The Circuit's Inaugural Year
This past May The Circuit was unveiled. It is the name given to a network of 750 miles of bicycle/pedestrian trail in our region which, when complete, will serve as a parallel green transportation system. These network will connect residents in nine counties to commercial districts, to jobs, to waterfronts and green spaces, and to each other. We believe, along with a host of partner organizations, foundations, and agencies, that the choice to take a trip by bicycle should not be hampered by the inability to find a safe route to your destination. When The Circuit is complete, those defeating moments will be few and far between.
Part of The Circuit launch was the debut of connectthecircuit.org, an ambitious map and information website for the region's trails. The site presents, for the first time in one place, a constantly updated map of both the built and unbuilt trails in The Circuit. You can use the map to plan a route (a la Google Maps), learn about new trails, and share favorite trails or routes with friends via social media.
There are currently 250 miles of The Circuit complete, and another 50 miles being built. In 2012 a number of trails celebrated ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings:
Trails opened in 2012:
- The Gray's Ferry Crescent
- Bartram's Garden
- Lardner's Point Park
- Manayunk Canal Towpath
- Camden's Farnham Park
- The Lawrence Hopewell Trail
- The Route 202 Parkway
- The Connector Bridge in Schuylkill River Park
Trails which broke ground in 2012:
- The Port Richmond Trail
- The Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk
- Several Camden TIGER projects
In all it was a terrific year for bicycle and pedestrian trails in our region. Please use connectthecircuit.org to learn how you can help the next trail segments get built and find a new trail to walk, run, or ride in 2013.
Circuit GIS Files Are Now Available
We have received several requests from organizations who want to add the Circuit trails to their GIS map data. While we have the ability to export the Circuit data it is not in a format that can be readily placed in most GIS mapping software programs. So we have released a GIS file that shows the current trails are officially designated as part of the Circuit.
DOWNLOAD
- Circuit Trails in Shapefile format (compressed in a zip file)
- Completed Circuit Trails in KMZ format
- Circuit Trails under construction in KMZ format
- Planned Circuit Trails kmz format
GIS or Geographic Information System is computer mapping that is integrated with database technology. GIS files containing map data (i.e. roads) can be read by various GIS programs such as the popular ArcGIS family of software and the open source QGIS. If you just want to display the map data you can use a free GIS viewers such as web based Geocommons.com (shown above) or ArcGIS Explorer. More readily available though are the .kml and .kmz file which can be displayed on Google Maps or in Google Earth.
Delaware & Lehigh Marathon featured in New York Times essay
Indirect Path to Finish for Disabled Marathoner (New York Times)
By Andrew W. Lehren
Eline Oidvin, a 35-year-old Norwegian who has limited sight, was ready to cancel her dream trip to the New York City Marathon in early November.
She had dipped into her savings and received donations from relatives to run in the event. She had arranged for time off from work. This would be her first extended trip away from her two young daughters. Six weeks before the race, I was assigned to be one of three runners helping Oidvin navigate the 26.2 miles through the five boroughs.
In an e-mail to me, she wrote: “I am looking forward to come to NYC and run! I am so excited about the marathon:-)”
Then came Hurricane Sandy, which devastated the region in late October. Oidvin followed the news events closely, days before she was scheduled to fly to New York. She was horrified by the devastation...
DCNR Hosting Grant Program Webinar For New Applicants
D&L Launches New Ad Campaign
The D&L Trail Alliance has launched a cool marketing initiative with a great ad about how close the D&L is to Philadelphia. They have placed these ads on nine kiosks in 30th Street Station for four weeks, and an ad in Grid Magazine.
