An elected official began a trip from Bristol Borough that will see him travel 165 miles.
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and State Sen. John Yudichak, a Democrat from the northeastern portion of the state, started the first leg of Yudichak’s commemorative trip of the entire Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor trail from Bristol Borough to Wilkes-Barre in Luzerne County. The trip began with a press event at the Bristol Wharf that included a visit from Smokey the Bear, Republican State Senator Tommy Tomlinson, Democratic State Rep. John Galloway, and Bristol Mayor Joe Saxston.
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Yedichak plans to continue hiking and biking the entire 165-mile trail in segments over the spring and summer. His journey will have him taking part in several events celebrating 250th Anniversary of Anthracite and the 30th Anniversary of Congress establishing the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.
“What started as a fun idea to help urge the Eagles on to victory has turned into a great opportunity to raise awareness for the beautiful D&L Trail,” said Sen. Yudichak. “With every step in the hike, I will be walking in the footsteps of the men and women who mined the coal, who built the canals and railroads, and who worked in the mills. These working families were the underdogs of the American Industrial Revolution and as we celebrate the D&L Trail, we honor the men and women who built America on the strength of Pennsylvania Industrial might.”
The trail goes through numerous communities, including Allentown, Bristol, Easton, Morrisville, and Jim Thorpe; five counties; two state parks; and three state forests.
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“Heritage tourism creates jobs and adds to the quality of life in our communities, and few trail projects add more value to Pennsylvania than the Delaware and Lehigh Trail,” Dunn said. “It’s great that the senator is drawing attention to a project that has been many years in the making and is a demonstrated economic stimulus to the area.”
Dunn said that the trail and heritage corridor is a “top priority” for the state agency. The agency is working with the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor to reach its goal of completing the corridor by 2020. When completed, it will be the longest multi-use trail in Pennsylvania.
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The state has previously kicked in roughly $7 million in grants for projects along the trail, which travels Delaware Canal State Park and extends to the state’s coal region.
A study has found that the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor supports 5,665 jobs and generates$32.2 million in tax revenue for local governments along the trail.
