Rail Trail's Phase 2 Expected to Open in Mid-Late June

Phase Two of the Saucon Rail Trail in Upper Saucon Township should be open to the public by early summer, the township's engineer told supervisors May 13.

The eagerly-awaited "Phase Two" extension of the Saucon Rail Trail in Upper Saucon Township is expected to open in mid-late June, engineer Dennis Harman reported to township supervisors at their May 13 meeting. Phase Two of the trail's construction will extend it by more than a mile—south through Center Valley, to the township's border with Coopersburg. The trail's current southern terminus is Upper Saucon Township Community Park, while its northern terminus is in Hellertown. Harman said paving was taking place the week of May 13, with fencing and signage work scheduled to begin the following week. Phase One of the trail—which also passes through Lower Saucon Township—was opened two years ago. For more information about the Saucon Rail …

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Saucon Rail Trail Clean-Up Planned for March 24

Volunteers have a scheduled a "spring clean-up" for the trail.

Want to help make sure that the Saucon Rail Trail is clean and green this spring? Then consider volunteering for a Spring Trail Clean-Up that's been scheduled for March 24 at 9am (rain date: March 31). Volunteers are needed for the clean-up, which will begin with a short briefing at Water Street Park in Hellertown. Carpools will then transport volunteers to various points along the trail. According to a press release about the clean-up, "duties will include cutting back of invasive vines, cutting fallen trees and limbs into smaller pieces...and piling (debris) by the side of the trail for disposal by the public works folks." "All volunteers who value this great recreational resource are welcome to help out," it adds. The use of power tools…

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Where do you like to bike in Upper Saucon Township?

Fall is almost upon us, which means perfect weather for biking. One local tells us her favorite place to ride.

Upper Saucon Patch is interested in what's happening in our community. That's why we're starting a weekly "What's the Word?" feature that will keep us in tune with our locals. Each week we'll find a person in Upper Saucon Patch to pose a question to. This week we caught up with Erin Frederick of Upper Saucon Township. We asked Frederick, "Where do you like to bike in Upper Saucon Township?" “I go on the rail trail. I like to go through Upper Saucon, ride to the park, hop on the rail trail to Hellertown and loop around. It’s about a 20-mile loop.” - Erin Frederick of Upper Saucon Township

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Trail Committee Seeking Train Station Information

The Saucon Rail Trail Advisory Committee is hoping residents will come forward with memories and photographs of the stations that were once in Hellertown, Bingen, Center Valley and Coopersburg.

Can you recall the days when passenger trains chugged south from Hellertown, through Bingen and Center Valley, to Coopersburg and points beyond? Does someone in your family remember the "Golden Age of Rail" in the Saucon Valley and Southern Lehigh? If so, Roger Jurczak and several other members of the Saucon Rail Trail Advisory Committee's trail history subcommittee want to hear from you. Jurczak, a Lower Saucon representative to the committee, and longtime township resident Jerry Holum are two of the members currently in the process of gathering information for a project that aims to commemorate the former SEPTA rail line's unique place in the area's transportation history. "We are looking for help and believe that there are many citizens…

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Rail Trail Committee Discusses Hay Ride, Map

The Saucon Rail Trail Advisory Committee is considering hay rides, maps featuring bike-friendly and pet-friendly locations, benches, landscaping, and historical markers.

The Saucon Rail Trail Advisory Committee met at Lower Saucon Town Hall Aug. 22 to discuss a variety of matters, including the possibility of working with the Saucon Valley Farmers Market to offer a Rail Trail Hay Ride before Halloween. The committee is also looking into producing a bike-friendly and pet-friendly map, in partnership with the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce. Local businesses would pay to be listed on the map, which would be specific to Hellertown and, the committee hopes, help drive rail trail traffic and sales to businesses in town. Township Manager Jack Cahalan announced that Lower Saucon is now allowing the public and local businesses to purchase memorial benches for placement along the township's portion of …

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Chris

4:27 pm on Sunday, September 9, 2012

what ever   more ›

Partnership Discusses Traffic Near Rail Trail

Members of the Saucon Valley Partnership say they see many cars not slowing down and stopping at rail trail intersections on local roads.

Members of the Saucon Valley Partnership discussed their concerns about traffic safety near the Saucon Rail Trail at the group's Aug. 10 meeting. The rail trail connected to the Upper Saucon rail trail portion this spring, with hopes of extending through Coopersburg in the future. The partnership is a council of governments comprised of representatives from the Borough of Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township and the Saucon Valley School District. Northampton County is an alternate member. Although there was not a quorum and the partnership could not vote on any matters, the members in attendance--Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Kichline, Lower Saucon Township council member Priscilla deLeon, Saucon Valley School Board member Edward Inghrim …

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An Independent View

How Rail Could Benefit the Lehigh Valley

It's good for workers who commute, and good for our economy.

Rail supporters are going to need to rethink their strategy for bringing rail transit to the Lehigh Valley. Because New Jersey Governor Chris Christie short-sightedly cancelled the ARC Tunnel indefinitely, any rail connection from the Lehigh Valley to New York City will require a transfer. This will make rail a less competitive alternative to driving and taking the bus on both price and trip length. Until Cory Booker becomes governor of New Jersey and resumes construction of the ARC Tunnel, I think it would make sense for L.V. rail supporters to shift their attention to two goals: SEPTA and job clusters. Philadelphia's economy is not as large as NYC's, but with the state's highest GDP, it is the next largest job center nearby. The nearest …

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Mile Markers Discussed at Rail Trail Meeting

The Saucon Rail Trail Advisory Committee hopes to install the mile markers in Hellertown and Lower Saucon in the near future. Mile markers could also be installed in Upper Saucon Township.

The Saucon Rail Trail Advisory Committee met July 25 in Upper Saucon Township to continue planning improvements to the recently opened trail. An inter-municipal agreement involving the trail's four host municipalities--Lower Saucon Township, Upper Saucon Township, Hellertown and Coopersburg--has been tentatively approved and is being rewritten to address some language concerns regarding indemnification (a term that has to do with liability issues), officials announced at the meeting. Lower Saucon Township Manager Jack Cahalan said he believes the agreement will soon be ready for implementation. The approval of the inter-municipal agreement is a pressing concern because sections of the trail opened to the public in three of the four …

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Cassandra Yorgey

10:31 am on Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Michele, you can email Upper Saucon at email@uppersaucon.org to ask about donating but I believe the unofficial discussion point for the Rail Trail is happening at the bike shop in Hellertown and there may be more information available there.   more ›

Trail Tenders Coordinator: “You Have a Gorgeous Trail”

Apart from invasive plants, the Upper Saucon Rail Trail is "as clean as a whistle"

The Upper Saucon Rail Trail has gotten high marks -- with one exception -- from someone who knows a thing or two about trails. Dennis Sholl, outreach coordinator for the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Trail Tenders volunteer group, told the township's Environmental Advisory Committee that despite invasive plant vegetation, the townhip has performed well in preserving its Rail Trail for users. He said the trail is clean, well-maintained and trash free.  “I’ve been on your trail quite a bit,” Sholl said. “I think it’s a beautiful trail.” Sholl, a Hellertown resident, said the Rail Trail has very little problems he could identify. He commended the township for maintaining trash cans, intersection crossings and fencing, calling …

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Length of Upper Saucon’s Rail Trail Will Depend on Developer’s Recreation Fee

Board of Supervisors discusses phase two and Coopersburg trail

Will $450,000 be enough to extend the Upper Saucon Rail Trail to the Coopersburg line at Landis Street? At Monday's supervisors meeting, some said yes and others said they weren't sure. The money will come from the developer of the Brinley Court project in lieu of a recreation fee. While the supervisors said they would prefer to extend the trail to the Coopersburg line, the ultimate reach will depend on how far the $450,000 will take it. "Best-case scenario, we'd like to go right up to our township line," said supervisors chairman Miro Gutzmirtl. "That has to do also with our funding." "We don't have 100 percent firm numbers," township manager Tom Beil said in response to questions about how far the money would go. "We're at least getting …

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