D&L Trail Construction Update By H. Scott Everett, D&L Trail ...

land issues resolved and the trail designed in 2013. In addition, working with our partner North
Catasauqua, we hope to look at building the bridge over Dry Run using alternative funding.
LEHIGH COUNTY
D&L Trail – North Catasauqua to Catasauqua – this section of the trail has been surveyed and a
route identified. The project will need to wait until the Lehigh Street bridge project is
completed. Also working with North Catasauqua, we would like to repair the broken pipe
causing a trail gap prior the start of the trail project.
D&L Trail – Catasauqua to Allentown – this section of the trail has also been surveyed and a
path identified. Design of trail needs to be finished. Project construction may be impacted by
the construction of Allentown’s American Parkway Bridge project. The City of Allentown
recently completed a section of D&L Trail from Canal Park to south of the Kimmett’s Lock
Trailhead.
BUCKS COUNTY
Route 13 Tunnel Project – design is complete and project is awaiting the award of contract.
Work should begin sometime in the first half of next year.
CSX Tunnel Project- this project is delayed basically for two reasons – funding along with new
wrinkles about land ownership.
Finally, several initiatives related to the trail are currently underway. They are as follows:
LUZERNE COUNTY
D&L Trail – Glen Summit Bypass – when the Master Site Plan for this section of trail was
completed in 2005, it suggested several alternative routes to get around Glen Summit. The PA
Bureau of Forestry is very interested in working with the D&L and its partners to look at these
alternative routes on state owned property. We are planning a site visit sometime this winter.
If we move forward, trail would initially be unimproved, suitable mainly for hikers and
mountain bikers.
D&L Trail – Mountaintop Trailhead and Mountaintop to Oliver Mills Trailhead – this section of
trail is currently open to the public but unimproved. The railroad ballast makes this section
unappealing for all but the most hearty trail users. The partners would like to start working on
this section of trail by fixing flood damage, cleaning out culverts and choking in the rail ballast.
The D&L will work with them to seek permitting and funding to improve this section of trail
while seeking funding to surface the entire length.