Livable Landscape Program Grant launches multimodal trail plan

By Jill Spotz

Pictured from left are Chelsea Morrese, executive director of community engagement and director of Landis Center for Community Engagement, Lafayette College; Sherry Acevedo, conservation coordinator, Northampton County Parks and Recreation; Dean Turner, Forks Township supervisor; Mary Wilford-Hunt, senior associate director of corporate, foundation, and government relations, Lafayette College; Lamont McClure, Northampton County executive; Maurice S. Luker III, executive director of corporate, foundation, and government relations, Lafayette College; and Delicia Nahman, director of sustainability, Lafayette College. | Photo by Adam Atkinson

The Lehigh Valley is known for its interconnected trail network, which provides residents with safe options for recreational activities including walking, running, and biking. Thanks to the generosity of Northampton County, the community is about to boost its existing trails. Lafayette College was awarded $75,000 from the county to begin the planning phase for a multimodal trail that will connect the College Hill and West Ward neighborhoods of Easton with Palmer and Forks Townships, including Lafayette’s Metzgar Fields Athletics Complex and LaFarm.

“We recognize the positive impact that the area’s existing recreational trails have on quality of life,” explains Audra Kahr, executive vice president of finance and administration. “Identified as a priority in Lafayette’s new Campus Master Plan, this project will close gaps in the region’s trail network—providing safe, alternative transportation options and helping meet College and community environmental sustainability goals that reduce reliance on carbon fuels. In addition, it will facilitate ongoing research and learning by Lafayette faculty and students to study and protect the Bushkill and adjacent natural areas. We are grateful to Northampton County, the City of Easton, Palmer Township, and Forks Township for supporting this important project.”

The proposed trail will link existing paths, including the Karl Stirner Arts Trail, Two Rivers Area Greenway, Tatamy Trail, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Trail, and the Appalachian Trail. The project is focused on providing an ADA-accessible route that will benefit individuals with disabilities, seniors, families with strollers, bicyclists, and more. The project includes planning for a trail that respects the existing natural and cultural landscape and integrates paths near the Bushkill and historical sites. The results of the feasibility study will determine the exact project location.

The $75,000 grant from Northampton County will support the first phase of this project—the feasibility study. As part of this assessment, there will be opportunities for residents in the surrounding communities to help inform the process. The completion of this project is dependent on additional funding sources. The planning phase is anticipated to be completed in 2025.