Council Approves Pursuit of Matching Grant for Rail Trail Property Purchase

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that Lower Saucon Township Council did not approve the purchase of the Reading Drive property at its April 6 meeting. Rather, council approved the pursuit of a matching grant to potentially help with the purchase in the future.

With accessibility a potential issue for local trail users, Lower Saucon Township Council unanimously approved pursuit of a matching grant that would help fund the purchase of a 2.2 acre parcel along Reading Drive, for the purpose of constructing parking and access to the soon-to-be-opened Saucon Rail Trail.

A motion to approve pursuit of the grant was made at council's April 6 meeting, after Township Manager Jack Cahalan explained that the property's proximity to the rail trail makes it desirable for use as a point of access.

"Historically we understand it was previously the site of the Bingen train station," Cahalan told council members. 

"The property...would provide public parking and ADA (Americans with Disabilities) access to the rail trail, which we currently do not have," he said.

"It would provide us with parking spaces and also access for our public works department to get on the trail and provide maintenance that is needed," he added.

The total cost of the property is not expected to exceed $50,000, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) grant would fund 50 percent of the purchase price, with the township paying the other half.

At the meeting, Cahalan also delivered council with an update on the completion of the rail trail, which is expected to be completed and open by early May.

"The one issue that we (still) need to accomplish is a surface for the trail," he said.

The plan is to cover the trail in Hellertown and Lower Saucon with a "crushcrete" material since suitability tests on mounds of slag in Hellertown's Thomas Iron Works area have not been completed, Cahalan noted.

The slag, which can be pulverized, had been considered for reuse as a trail surfacing material.

A cost estimate for the crushcrete needed to surface Lower Saucon's portion of the rail trail is about $4,000, Cahalan said.

Meanwhile, an official opening date for the rail trail has not yet been set, although many curious Saucon Valley residents have already been exploring sections of the pathway.

Upper Saucon Township plans to host a ribbon-cutting for its section of the trail June 11, and has invited Lower Saucon Township to participate in that ceremony, Cahalan announced.

Once the surface material is laid down on all sections of the trail, for all intents and purposes it will be open for use, Cahalan indicated.

Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon advocated scheduling an opening ceremony for the rail trail to coincide with on Saturday, May 7.

"That will be a good opportunity (to open the trail)," she said, adding that a good location for the ceremony would be Hellertown's , which is along the trail and located close to some of the planned history day activities.

"I think we'll just have more people at the ceremony (if it's held May 7)," she added.

DeLeon said Lower Saucon officials could still participate in the June 11 opening ceremony, even if a Saucon Valley-specific opening ceremony is held a month earlier.

At the Hellertown Borough Council meeting April 18, council members agreed that May 7 would be an appropriate date to open the trail with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and gave Borough Manager Cathy Kichline approval to begin planning the event.

In a discussion about rules for the use of the trail at the Lower Saucon council meeting, deLeon voiced support for allowing horses access to the path.

DeLeon said that allowing horses will encourage more area residents to use the trail, and that the cleanup of waste material from the animals would be required, "just like (with) dogs."

Councilman Tom Maxfield expressed skepticism, however, that riders on horseback would take the time to clean up after the animals.

"It's a people trail," he said. "I don't see the horses. I don't see the horses happening in there."

Council President Glenn Kern noted that allowing horses access to the trail might result in additional expenses, but Cahalan responded to his concern by saying that members of the Saucon Rail Trail Committee who are in favor of allowing horseback riding on the trail planned to raise funds to pay for a special surface, if the activity is allowed.

Kern also said he thought Hellertown would need to approve horseback riding for its portion of the trail in order for it to be practical on Lower Saucon's portion, which is immediately adjacent.

DeLeon ultimately made a motion to support an investigation of horseback riding on the Saucon Rail Trail, along with issues related to cleanup, funding and access.

The motion was approved 4-1, with Maxfield casting the only "no" vote. 

At the April 18 meeting of Hellertown Borough Council, members unanimously voted to prohibit horseback riding on Hellertown's section of the rail trail, during a discussion about rules for the trail.

"The trail is too small to have horses and people and those big baby buggies," councilwoman Stephanie Kovacs said. "And Upper Saucon doesn't allow horses on their portion of the trail."

Councilwoman Gail Nolf said she opposed allowing horses on the trail because riders might not dismount to clean up waste when a horse defecates on the trail.

"There's a problem with that up at Jacobsburg (State Park) right now, and it's a huge problem," she said.

Council members also approved a measure that will require pets to be on leashes on the trail and to prohibit defacing of signs along the trail.

The other rules for the rail trail in Hellertown will be in tandem with the rules enforced in the borough's parks.

"Our current park rules are silent on horseback riding," Kichline told council.