Redbank Valley Trails Public Open House to be held on
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Everyone who has an interest in walking/biking trails andTrailTownbusiness development is invited to attend an open house meeting on Thursday, March 3, 2011, to learn about the development of the non-motorized rail trail through theRedbankValleyand its access to the Redbank Creek water trail. The meeting will take place at the New Bethlehem Presbyterian Church at403 Penn Streetin New Bethlehem, PA from 5 PM to 8 PM. The building is handicapped accessible and there is plenty of parking accessed fromWood Street. Those who wish to attend are welcome to come at any point during the three-hour window. Project team members will be on hand to discuss displays, including maps of the proposed route, answer questions, and gather input.
The Redbank Valley Trails Association (RVTA) is completing a feasibility/planning study for the 42-mile corridor, which follows the abandoned railroad corridor from the Allegheny River along Redbank Creek through St. Charles, Lawsonham, Climax, New Bethlehem, Hawthorn, Mayport, Summerville and Baxter, ending in Brookville. In addition, information will be available on a 9-mile spur from Lawsonham to Sligo. Trails offer many benefits to the local communities including preserving linear public open spaces; encouraging physical fitness and healthy lifestyles; creating new access to and opportunities for outdoor recreation, such as hiking, biking, bird watching, and access to the creek; preserving culturally and historically significant sites; and protecting the environment. The trails will connect to the Armstrong Trail, Allegheny River Trail and Great Allegheny Passage, creating an interconnected trail network that will stretch to Erieto the North and South to Pittsburghand Washington, D.C. A map and more information can be found at www.redbankvalleytrails.org.
Another benefit that trails offer is an opportunity for economic development. The Redbank Valley Trails have the potential to become an economic driver by drawing in visitors throughout the region. Studies show that average trail users spend between $13 and $18 daily in nearby towns. Summerville, Hawthorn, Sligo, New Bethlehem, Brookville and other communities have the potential to become designated trail towns, an economic revitalization initiative associated with trail development. A trail town study is underway for New Bethlehem Borough to identify ways that the Borough can capitalize upon with the development of the trails. The TrailTowninitiative was first developed in the communities that bordered the Great Allegheny Passage and generated over $40 million in direct spending during 2008 for those towns designated as trail towns along its route. More information on trail town development can be found at www.redbankren.org.
The studies are funded in part by grants from the Northwest Regional Planning Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Matching funds were provided by New Bethlehem Borough, the Allegheny Valley Land Trust and Jefferson County Development Corporation. The studies are being facilitated by a consulting team of Mackin Engineering Company and McCollom Development Strategies. For more information, please contact SandyMateerat 814-275-1718 or Amy L. Wiles, AICP, Lead Senior Planner at Mackin at 412-788-0472 or [email protected].