Before a newly rehabilitated Glen Onoko Falls Trail draws hikers to the area once again, Jim Thorpe Borough Council wants roads paved, intersections improved, emergency access cleared and a police drone authorized.

Council voted unanimously Thursday to submit a letter to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources requesting renewed coordination on the Glen Onoko Falls Trail project, outlining a list of transportation, infrastructure and public safety improvements the borough says are essential before increased visitation strains its roads, emergency services and public resources.

The trail, located on a 495-acre tract in Lehigh Township just outside Jim Thorpe, closed on May 1, 2019, when the Pennsylvania Game Commission cited deteriorating conditions and mounting safety concerns on a steep, half-mile section that climbs approximately 800 feet alongside Glen Onoko Run. At least 10 hikers died on the trail over the previous five decades, and recurring serious injuries created a persistent burden on local first responders. DCNR’s Outdoor Corps crews began rehabilitation work in May 2026, with the trail expected to remain closed throughout the year while technical stonework — including stone retaining walls, steps and rock armor — is installed. The project is expected to take three to five years in total. When complete, the trail is set to be transferred from the Game Commission to DCNR and incorporated into Lehigh Gorge State Park. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget funded DCNR’s takeover of trail stewardship.

The borough says it supports the project, but needs a seat at the table before it’s too late.

“The rehabilitation of the Glen Onoko Falls Trail is expected to further increase visitation, placing additional demands on borough streets, emergency services, traffic management, and public infrastructure,” the borough letter states. “As the host municipality, these impacts will be experienced directly by our residents, businesses, visitors, and first responders, making continued coordination with the borough essential throughout the remainder of the project.”

The borough’s concerns center on Main Street and Front Street, the only vehicle access corridor to the Glen Onoko trailhead. Using the borough’s roadway management system, that stretch has received an EMI score of 3.97 on a scale of 1 (best) to 5 (worst), evaluating factors including potholes, cracking, patching and edge deterioration.

“This score indicates that the roadway is already approaching a condition where significant maintenance and rehabilitation should be considered,” the letter states, “making infrastructure improvements even more critical prior to the anticipated increase in park traffic.”

The borough’s specific requests include widening Front Street and Main Street where appropriate, milling, paving, pavement markings, signage and stormwater management along the 1,850-foot corridor from Route 903 to the park entrance, and evaluation of the existing culvert. Council is also asking DCNR to evaluate the intersection of North Street and Route 903, including whether a traffic signal or other traffic control measures are needed.

Borough officials had flagged the traffic concern years earlier, when the trail’s potential reopening was first being discussed.

“If this comes to pass in a few years, what you’re going to be looking at up there — you’re not going to be able to get on Main Street,” former Council President Greg Strubinger said in April 2025, when the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners approved the land transfer.

Emergency access is a separate and long-standing concern. The letter asks DCNR to clear overhead foliage along the gate and railroad crossing area between the DCNR parking area and the trail entrance, which currently prevents large fire apparatus from reaching the trail without sustaining damage. The borough also renewed its push for a police department drone to assist with search and rescue operations in the rugged gorge terrain.

The letter acknowledges the cooperative steps taken so far, including DCNR scheduling a meeting with local EMS personnel.

“We view this as a positive step toward ensuring the safety of visitors and responders alike,” the letter states.

Beyond the infrastructure requests, council is asking for three things: a formal meeting with DCNR and project agencies to discuss current status and timeline, an opportunity to review and comment on remaining design elements before they are finalized, and consideration of the borough’s full list of requests as part of both the ongoing project and any future phases.

A DCNR representative has been invited to attend the September council meeting.