20 miles of rail-trail have been completed to date. An ordinance has been recently approved by the County Commissioners to enact various rules and regulations for rail-trail operation and for enforcement purposes. Municipalities adjacent to the rail-trail are being asked to endorse this ordinance in 2024 and 2025. The County is working with a consultant to evaluate various rail-trail road crossings for possible safety improvements.
Phase 6: The Phase 6 alignment includes the future trail through the John E. Wengert Park across from the former Lebanon Catholic School complex (Phase 6A); Chestnut Street right-of-way, county owned land along the Hazel Dike to S. 22nd Street (Phase 6B); a partially relocated S. 22nd Street, a new bridge over the Quittapahilla Creek on S. 22nd Street, existing S. 22nd Street to US Route 422 with intersection operation and safety improvements (Phase 6C); and Lebanon Valley Mall property to the S. 25 th Street Underpass (Phase 6D). The JVI Group was the contractor for the Phase 6A & Phase 6B project; work has just been completed, not including the punch list items. Phase 6C will go to construction in early 2025; additional funds are still needed for this $4.97 million very complex project. $90,000 in additional funds was approved by the County Commissioners for Phase 6D final design. A Phase 6D long-term easement agreement is now being finalized with the LV Mall, and a grant application will then be submitted for construction funding. The County is also pursuing a grant to study the possible relocation of the 25 th Street Underpass to a new overpass just to the west of the existing underpass, which would allow the existing underpass to be exclusively used by bicyclists and pedestrians in the future.
Phase 8 — Alignment Determined: The preferred alignment is the former railroad bed from Long Lane to the Bunker Hill area. Four easements or acquisitions have been secured from key property owners. The County Commissioners approved $300,012 for these easements and acquisitions and for various capital rail-trail improvements. The estimated overall cost for Phase 8 is approximately $4.0 million.
Phase 10 – north of US Route 22 to a connection to the trail system in Swatara State Park near Lickdale. Phase 10 will include 2.7 miles of rail-trail and a connection / trailhead at Pine Tree Road in Union Township. Phase 10 has been broken into two projects … 10A and 10B.
Phase 10A and 10B Design: State and local funds were secured to design the rail-trail from north of US Route 22 to Lickdale Road (SR 1020). A future study is needed to safely cross Lickdale Road and to select the best alignment through the campground to tie into the trail in Swatara State Park.
Phase 10A Construction Project: A state grant of $400,000 was approved by DCNR in 2022 for the construction of Phase 10A from north of US Route 22 to Pine Tree Road, a distance of 0.60 miles in Union Township. It was matched with $400,000 in County funds. It will probably go to a bid letting in January of 2025. Construction should be completed in late 2025. The project has a potential $150,000 funding shortfall right now.
Phase 10B from Pine Tree Road to Lickdale Road: Grant applications were submitted to PennDOT and DCNR totaling $3.2 million for Phase 10B (2.10 miles). PennDOT approved $2.45 million on April 25 th . DCNR should announce their approvals this fall. The project could go to construction in late 2025 or early 2026. Phase 10B right-of-way is now under our control, and the land has been cleared twice by LVRT, Inc. volunteers for hiking and mountain biking. A site visit with PennDOT staff occurred in mid-August.
LVRT, Inc. Truck and Trailer Grant Application: An application was submitted to DCED in 2023 for a small dump truck and heavy-duty trailer. Approved projects will be announced this fall.