South Whitehall in Line for Grant to Plan Greenway Connection

South Whitehall is in line for a $15,000 from Lehigh County that will help it plan how can be connected to the Jordan Creek Greenway.

County commissioners are expected to approve the money Sept. 28 for a feasibility study of how to link the park with the rest of a 12.8 mile trail system that would stretch from the Trexler Nature Preserve in North Whitehall and Lowhill townships all the way to Allentown’s Jordan Creek Meadows Park.

“Covered Bridge Park is dead center,” said Bob Ibach, acting director of public works for South Whitehall. “So connecting to our park on the Jordan is necessary. It’s going to look at ways that the Jordan Greenway could connect on the east and west sides of the park.”

The township hopes to have the study done next year, Ibach said.

The entire is expected to cost at least $4.6 million and is designed to provide hiking and biking trails along the Jordan Creek while preserving open space and protecting wildlife.

Ideally, the project, which is led by the Wildlands Conservancy, would link , and the Parkland Environmental Lab to the trails, Ibach said. But for some of those connections, the project would have to acquire private land or get a right-of-way from owners.

South Whitehall is also waiting to hear about a $30,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for a feasibility study that would look at ways to construct the trail so hikers could safely cross Cedar Crest Boulevard. One option explored is a pedestrian overpass bridge, south of the intersection at Iron Bridge Road. 

The $15,000 grant from the county comes from the Main Street Initiatives, which includes grants for environmental planning and protection. Cindy Feinberg, the county’s director of community and economic development, said the county is seeing much more interest from municipalities in doing trail work and outdoor programs.