September 23, 2026

In 1980, a grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund allowed Lackawanna County to acquire about 10 miles of the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad. The goal was to use it for future trail development.

The project sat idle for 40 years. Part of the acquisition had included a former railroad trestle, and repairs were simply too expensive to proceed.

Then in 2016, PennDOT approached Lackawanna County and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) with a plan. They wanted to replace the Interstate 84/380 Twin Bridges. The bridges stand 160 feet above the abandoned trestle. If the trestle were repaired, it would help PennDOT access the interstate to do its own repairs.

The partners came together and realized this was an opportunity to both restore the trestle and build a section of the long-awaited trail.

With PennDOT funding as part of their match, Lackawanna County applied for grants from DCNR. The grants would fund design and construction of three miles of trail from the trestle to the Borough of Elmhurst.

Before

After

If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up for this year’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) annual grant workshop.

Even if you’ve attended in the past, it’s worth attending again this year. Several changes are coming to the C2P2 grant application in 2027. The workshop will go over those changes and offer tips on how to make your application more competitive.

The workshop runs from 9:00 AM to noon on Thursday, November 5. Attendance is free, but pre-registration is required to ensure attendees receive all required materials.

Gettysburg is one of the most visited historical sites in the U.S., especially as Americans celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday.

With all those visitors, the borough has prioritized improving bike and pedestrian infrastructure by expanding the Gettysburg Inner Loop.

The Loop uses a mix of roads, alleys, and trails to provide safe travel around the historic borough.

In 2022, Gettysburg received a grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to improve the Gettysburg Inner Loop on North Washington Street.

The project wrapped up construction earlier this year. The result features almost 500 feet of pedestrian infrastructure along North Washington Street.

“The completion of the Gettysburg Inner Loop improvements on North Washington Street strengthens connections within our community while giving residents and visitors a safer, more accessible way to experience the Borough,” said Charles Gable, Gettysburg Borough Manager. “The project’s multimodal and streetscape enhancements create a more welcoming corridor for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and visitors alike.”

The DCNR grant came from the Keystone Fund.

Only one week remains in the fall Motorized Trail and Recreation grant round.

Applications will be accepted until 4:00 PM on Wednesday, September 30.

All applications should be submitted electronically through the Grants Customer Service Portal.

Eligible projects include planning, land acquisition, development, rehabilitation, maintenance, purchase of equipment for construction and maintenance, and development of educational programs. Projects must support motorized trails or trail facilities.

Funding for these grants comes from the federal Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Program as well as from the fees riders pay to register their ATVs and snowmobiles in Pennsylvania.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recently announced awards from the spring round of these projects. Awards totaled $2.2 million to support seven projects statewide.