A years-long gap in the Delaware Canal State Park trail was been filled and has completely connected the 75-mile uninterrupted trail that runs from Bristol Borough to Easton and then Allentown.
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The opening of the 0.1-mile Bridge Street Crossing in Morrisville Borough on Wednesday has fully connected the 75-mile trail that stretches from Bristol Borough to Allentown.
The official opening of the crossing in Morrisville Borough means trailgoers will no longer have to take detours to continue their travels.
Officials, including leaders from the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Morrisville Borough, Bucks County, and organizations, celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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The new trail segment features two ramps and a street crossing, providing an ADA-accessible link that was previously blocked by a bridge abutment at Bridge Street.
Claire W. Sadler, executive director of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, highlighted the impact of the new crossing.
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“What may appear to be a small road crossing, in reality, is a major connector between nine miles of towpath trail south to Bristol and 50 miles north to Easton along the Delaware Canal. This crossing not only fills a gap in the trail network but connects trail users to businesses along Bridge Street—the results of which we’re already seeing through two new Trail Friendly Businesses that are eager to greet visitors,” Sadler said.
The completion of the Bridge Street connector also marks a key development in the broader regional trail systems, including the Circuit Trails network and the East Coast Greenway. The Circuit Trails is aiming to complete 500 miles by 2025 and sees the crossing as a significant step toward enhancing regional connectivity.
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn praised the community’s commitment to the project.
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“This project is a testament to the power of partnerships and the value trails add in communities across the Commonwealth,” said Dunn. “We thank Morrisville for prioritizing trails and seeing the positive impact they provide to the borough and its businesses.”
The Bridge Street gap was identified in 2016 as one of Pennsylvania’s Top 10 Trail Gaps.
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The crossing project, which began planning in 2012 and wrapped up construction in December 2023, was supported by various stakeholders, including PennDOT, William Penn Foundation, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
Patrick Starr, chair of the Circuit Trails Coalition, pointed to the broader implications of the project.
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“Closing this gap is a major win for the community and the connectivity for the region,” he said.
In 2019, a section of the trail in Falls Township was connected with the opening of a tunnel under rail lines.
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The D&L Trail is set to become Pennsylvania’s longest multiuse trail once fully completed. The long-term goal is connect the state park to a trail system that runs from the Lehigh Valley to Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, creating a 165-mile path.
The canal trail is also part the 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway that runs from Maine to Florida.
For more information, visit delawareandlehigh.org.
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