October 3rd, 2008
Work at Lehigh Gap Nature Center is entering the final phases. The new trail surface is down and crews have begun installation of a fence to separate Paint Mill Road from the D&L Trail. Trail Steward Scott Everett anticipates an official opening in late October or early November, with installation of new LGNC and D&L signage continuing throughout the fall. Please refer to the D&L blog and trail page for updates and an announcement regarding the official opening.
Take a look at the pictures below:
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements
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September 19th, 2008
Trail surfacing and trailhead redesign work continues at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. The new trail surface is down and rolled, and the trailhead, located just south of the Rt. 873 bridge, is now under construction.
Anyone who recalls the old layout will recognize the improvements: the trail and the access road will be clearly demarcated, the new trailhead will provide ample parking, and the uniform trail surface will extend the immaculate Slatington section through the Lehigh Gap.
Construction will continue for several weeks, followed by installation of fencing and new signage. For updates, check the blog or call D&L Trail Steward Scott Everett at 610-923-3548.
Posted in Construction Updates, Events, Trail Improvements
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September 5th, 2008
An update from D&L Outreach Coordinator Dennis Scholl:
My job as manager of the volunteer D&L Trail Tenders became even more rewarding this past week as I watched a dedicated crew of 10 Lehigh Valley Chapter volunteers build a native plant trail adjacent to the D&L Trail at the Sand Island model site in Bethlehem. This is a site the LV Tenders have been working on for 15 months. The completion of the trail and next week’s planting of nearly 2,000 native plants is the culmination of a lot of hard work. I watched 74-year-old Gerry Weiner of Nazareth and fellow retirees Joe Felker, John Cook, Ken Baatz, Charlie Derr and Gary Ritter plot the trail and secure the ties to the ground with lengths of rebar. It was hot and sweaty work, but no one complained a bit. The only break anyone took was to sip water. People using the trail yelled “thank you!” Those two words never grew old on anyone.
“The epitome of volunteerism”
A fellow from Bethlehem who bikes the trail every day stopped by on Tuesday morning and spent the next three days working with us. He was a great help. He even brought a flexible ladder that we propped up against trees to cut dead vines we couldn’t reach otherwise. On Thursday, a Lehigh University student stopped to ask if he could volunteer an hour of his time. We put him to work right away. He said he’d be back. I believe him.
I guess it’s just very heart-warming to see people come together to reach a goal. Our goal at Sand Island was to create a site where the public could be educated about the negative effects of invasive plants on the environment. Since most of the D&L Trail in the Lehigh Valley is bordered by an invasive jungle, we could have chosen a site anywhere. But we settled on 500 feet of real estate where Monocacy Creek enters the Lehigh River at the eastern tip of Sand Island.
On June 24, 2007, the Lehigh Valley Trail Tenders held their first cleanup. A dedicated core group formed and people worked throughout the winter. The City of Bethlehem took notice and responded very positively to our requests for help. They hauled out cut brush, brought backhoes to move logs that littered the site, had a large colony of Japanese knotweed sprayed, and donated 40 cubic yards of wood chips for our trail. Next week the city is bringing compost so our plants get a good dose of nitrogen to kick start their life in a new home. The whole project has been one of cooperation: volunteers with volunteers, and volunteers with municipal government.
An invitation to visit
I hope you have a moment to visit our site. If you’ve never been there before, you’ll be impressed by the very picturesque view of the Lehigh River and old Bethlehem Steel plant on the other side. Imagine not being able to see the river or the steel plant because they were obscured by a solid wall of green. That’s what the site was like before the Trail Tenders took charge. Why, it was even hard to get a breeze along the trail because the plants were so thick. Not anymore.
By the end of fall, our Learning Center will be complete and we’ll be offering history and nature programs. Next spring, the site will be alive with plants that haven’t been present there since the Lehigh Canal was built in 1827. And all of this is due to a chapter of volunteers who set forth on a common goal and pursued it with a very vigilant work ethic. To me, it’s the epitomy of volunteerism. I hope it catches on elsewhere along the D&L Trail. Heaven knows there’s plenty of room for more projects.
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements, Trail Tenders
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September 4th, 2008
This week marks the first time that the D&L is undertaking two large trail projects simultaneously. The projects are representative of the recent wave of trail improvements that have opened and transformed many segments of the D&L Trail during the past few years.
The first project is a continuation of the work being done on the trail and trailhead in the area of Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Lehigh County. The end result will be a newly paved entrance road and parking lot, with the D&L Trail running parallel. The Lehigh Gap area will be a centerpiece of the trail, and this project will ensure that all trail users have easy and safe access.
The second project will improve the Weissport trailhead, by redesigning and repaving the parking lot, and stabilize the Lehigh Canal, by replacing the eroded, earthen bank with durable, laid stone. This is a very heavily-used section of the D&L Trail, and we are looking forward to improving visitors’ experience.
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements
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June 25th, 2008
The installation of the “recycled” bridge was a great success. Aside from some minor grinding, workmen installed the 71-foot, 32-ton section of bridge with little difficulty. The event was documented by local newspapers, TV stations, and even a helicopter flying overhead. The bridge will allow access to the 16-mile Black Diamond Trail between White Haven and Mountain Top and connect one of the final missing links in the 165-mile D&L Trail.
Check out the pictures below:
Posted in Construction Updates, In the News, Trail Improvements
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June 24th, 2008
A major trail construction project is reaching a milestone this morning in Luzerne County. The D&L is bridging a gap in the trail caused by an active rail line, located in a deep cut with sheer, rock sides. Instead of fabricating a new bridge, the D&L has recycled an old, iron bridge that will be installed on freshly poured platforms. Old paint and rust were sandblasted from the bridge, prior to recoating. This was a tedious process but one that will save materials and maintain the historic character of the area.
Trail Manager Scott Everett reported Monday that “the move of the bridge from Hunlock Creek to the bridge site went extremely well today.” The bridge traveled by flat-bed tractor trailer from the work site to the installation point off of Middleburg Road, Luzerne County. Members of the press will be on hand, as the bridge is installed.
This is an important step in the construction project, but more work is necessary before pedestrians can use the bridge. Check back for pictures of the installation and updates on when the bridge will open!
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements
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June 10th, 2008
On Saturday, hundreds of trail users, including members of the press, braved the 95 degree conditions to attend the unveiling of our directional blades, listen to project updates, and help install mile markers, all as a part of our various National Trails Day celebrations.
[Allen Sachse addresses crowd in Slatington]
This was a great opportunity to celebrate the D&L Trail and increase its visibility in our region. We were also able to highlight the connections that the D&L makes between towns, cities, and rural areas. As we installed the blades and mile markers over the last week, we had an enthusiastic response from trail users who have always wondered about the length of their daily walks and rides.
[Trail Tenders show off new milemarker]
National Trails Day was the perfect time to kick off our signage program, but the work will continue throughout the summer-so look for updates!
Posted in Construction Updates, Events, In the News, Mile Markers, National Trails Day, Trail Improvements, Trail Tenders
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May 16th, 2008
Although we can estimate the length of D&L Trail sections using river mile charts and topographical maps, there is no substitute for walking the trail with a surveying wheel and taking GPS readings. This is precisely what we began to do on Tuesday. Despite the rain, we walked the twelve miles from the Forks of the Delaware to Sand Island, rolling the wheel and placing pins at each mile along the section. On June 7, these pins will guide the volunteers who install our new mile markers.
This is a beautiful and relatively secluded section of railroad grade and canal towpath that follows the river’s edge and occasionally dips back into the woods. After eight miles or so, the forest gives way to the canal town of Freemansburg and Lehigh Canal Park. The next four mile stretch offers views of Bethlehem Steel, a lock recently revealed by the work of our Trail Tenders, and leads to the parking area on Sand Island.
During the walk, we saw deer tracks, fish jumping in the river and the canal, and a variety of birds, including Orioles, warblers, and mergansers. All of this between two cities!
[Photographs courtesy of Will Minehart]
Posted in Mile Markers, National Trails Day, On the Trail, Trail Improvements, Trail Tenders
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May 15th, 2008
The D&L invites you to join us for a dedication event, as we celebrate our 20 year anniversary and National Trails Day. Seven directional blades will be unveiled along the D&L Trail.
Be the first to see the D&L Trail directional blade, hear up to the minute trail updates, have some snacks and take home a small token of our appreciation. We look forward to seeing friends of the Trail, old and new.
Posted in Events, Trail Improvements
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May 9th, 2008
[Trail Steward Scott Everett oversees drilling]
The D&L’s 20th anniversary trail signage project is making rapid progress. The first round of installation will be revealed on June 7, when directional “blades” are unveiled and installed on several sections of the trail as part of National Trails Day events. These “blades” will include destination and mileage information to make it easier to use the D&L Trail.
[One of the D&L’s new directional “blades”]
We hope to encourage long-distance bike rides and walks between the historic towns and natural areas that the trail connects. Also, look for mileage markers to appear along the trail beginning in early June. These markers will not only make it simple to measure the length of walks and rides but also assist emergency personnel in the case of an accident. The D&L has made great strides in acquiring land and improving the trail, and the new directional signage will help all users take full advantage.
Posted in Trail Improvements
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