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Carbon releases its designs for moving D&L

Published August 13. 2020 02:45PM
by Amy Miller amiller@tnonline.com

Plans are beginning to move forward on a $400,000 project that will take hikers and bikers out of the county parking lot in Jim Thorpe and onto a better constructed portion of the D&L Trail between the pedestrian bridge and the trail connector at the north end of the lot.

The Carbon County Commissioners released artist renderings of the south end of the trail renovation on Facebook.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said some areas of the trail will still go through the parking lot where there is not enough space to move it on the other side of the guide rail, other areas will be separated by the guide rail and a picket fence on the outside of the river side of the lot.

The current trail leaves Lehigh Gorge State Park, travels up through the rail yard and through the county parking lot where it connects with the pedestrian bridge near Turkey Hill.

“This will greatly enhance the safety of the pedestrians and bikers,” Nothstein said.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that approximately eight parking spots will be lost, and additional spots will be turned sideways to provide enough room, but added that “the improvement will be a safer trail.”

“The exit off the bridge entering the new improvements will have a rest area as well as a brief history of the trail and area history,” he said. “(It will be) a great asset to the trail and making it safer for outdoor activities.”

The county hopes to begin the project in mid-March and take three weeks to complete once construction begins.

Carbon County began looking at this move in April 2016 under the former board of commissioners, which consisted of Nothstein, William O’Gurek and Thomas J. Gerhard.

At that time, the county applied for a $10,000 Pocono Forest and Waters Conservation Landscape mini-grant to complete a study of the area net to the parking lot.

Commissioners hired Hanover Engineering Associates at a cost of $21,290 to do a master site plan, which was completed in July 2017.

In 2018, the commissioners hired Hanover Engineering Associates of Allentown for professional services relating to the design of the connector trail through the parking lot at a cost of $53,800 plus expenses.

The county also received a $403,986 Transportation Alternatives Set Aside grant from the state.

In November 2019, the former board of commissioners voted to execute the grant and move forward with the project.

An artist's rendering of the south end of the Carbon County parking lot and what the D&L Trail project would look like. COURTESY OF CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
An artist's rendering of the south end of the Carbon County parking lot and what the D&L Trail project would look like. COURTESY OF CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
An artist's rendering of the south end of the Carbon County parking lot and what the D&L Trail project would look like. COURTESY OF CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
An artist's rendering of the south end of the Carbon County parking lot and what the D&L Trail project would look like. COURTESY OF CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
An artist's rendering of the south end of the D&L Trail near the pedestrian bridge. COURTESY CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
An artist's rendering of the south end of the Carbon County parking lot and what the D&L Trail project would look like. COURTESY OF CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
An artist's rendering of the south end of the Carbon County parking lot and what the D&L Trail project would look like. COURTESY OF CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
An artist's rendering of the south end of the Carbon County parking lot and what the D&L Trail project would look like. COURTESY OF CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
An artist's rendering of the south end of the Carbon County parking lot and what the D&L Trail project would look like. COURTESY OF CARBON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Tags:
D&L Trail, Carbon County