A 5K trail race will be celebrated in spring as part of the anticipated completion of Lehighton's Trailhead project.

Lehighton Borough Council was recently apprised of the race, as well as the updated status of the Trailhead project and several other trail projects, by representatives of the D&L National Heritage Corridor.Elisa M. Garofalo, president and executive director of the D&L National Heritage Corridor, gave an overview of the D&L, while Scott Everett, D&L Trail Manager, gave an update on the various trail projects.Garofalo said about 135 of the 165-mile D&L Trail, or about 80 percent, has been completed.Everett said the Lehighton Trailhead Project, located along Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard Route 209 near the Maiden Lane intersection, is nearing completion.Amenities and remaining signage needs to be installed, and a recycled pavilion will be installed south of the PA Turnpike bridge, Everett said.He said the next steps are to purchase amenities and expedite community pledges for the Trailhead, as well as to install the amenities and lower pavilion.A $20,000 grant is to expire next year, he said.The 5K trail race, sponsored by Leadership Carbon, will be held April 26.Everett then turned his attention to the Carbon County Connectivity Project.That project will connect the Bridge Street bridge that joins Lehighton to Weissport, to an existing paved service road that follows the west side of the Lehigh River to the Mahoning sewage treatment plant.It may utilize the alley which is located on Route 209, Bankway Street between Castle Grill and RJ Walker, Everett said.The connection, which is part of the Carbon County Connectivity Project, will allow bikers and hikers a way to travel from the Weissport trailhead, across Weissport, down the alley way connector to a stop sign where it will join the service road to the Mahoning sewage treatment plant.Portions affecting Lehighton are from Weissport to Lehighton "Share the Road", sidewall widening, and the alley connection to the trail.The design work is out for bid through the county later this week. The next action required is a solution to the alley issue, and to coordinate construction around the bridge project.A grant in the amount of $208,000 will expire in 2015.Finally, Everett discussed the Mahoning Creek Stabilization and Trail, which is pending.The project is part of the Pocono Conservation Landscape Initiative run by the Department of Community & Natural Resources, and administered by the PA Environmental Council.To date, $5,000 has been requested for the project, which would stabilize a portion of the creek, as well as portions of the trail, and install signage.