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Intelligencer Journal Jan 13, 2010 Conestoga Greenway gets on track Trail between Lancaster City, county park set for June opening by Ad Crable, Staff Writer Envisioned for a century and almost abandoned last summer, const The paved multiuse public trail will run along the river where the Sunnyside peninsula makes a big loop and link the eastern end of the city to Lancaster County Central Park. Walkers, joggers, baby strollers, birdwatchers and bicyclists are all invited to use the pathway. The route for the 8-foot-wide macadam path has been flagged, and in several weeks workers will begin clearing trees. Paving will be done in the spring, and the greenway is expected to be open to the public by mid-June. "Our hope is to bring more people outside into nature," said Carl B. Martin, director of stewardship and education for the Lancaster County Conservancy, which was hired to spearhead the long-delayed project. "The city is so very close, and with its density we want to get people right up against the river. And it can bring pedestrians from one area to another." Paved parking for eight vehicles and two handicapped vehicles will be located near the trail's eastern terminus off Conestoga Drive near Betz Road in the Bridgeport area. A 35-space parking area will be located near the middle of the trail off Chesapeake Street, at the entrance to the county juvenile detention center. And a 10-space parking area will be at the trail's western terminus, where South Duke Street crosses the river. Partners in the greenway include the city, the county, Lancaster Township and the conservancy. A greenway in the city along the Conestoga appeared on city planning maps as far back as 1910. The idea was revived by the Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee, a regional planning body, in 1993. But problems arose getting easements and cobbling together legal agreements satisfactory to all the partners. Support wavered as municipal leadership changed.
It looked as if the project was ready to go in 2009, and it was put out for bids. But bids submitted nearly doubled the cost of the project, from $432,000 to $804,000. It appeared the project was dead. But PennDOT, which already had funded part of the project, came up with additional federal funds. Also funding the project are the county and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Easements for the trail and parking areas were granted by Lancaster Township, the city, the county, City Limits Realty, Lancaster City Housing Authority and Complete Health Care Resources, owners of Conestoga View. At its eastern terminus, the trail begins just upstream from where Conestoga Drive meets Betz Road in Lancaster Township. The trail follows the river's edge in an open area before slicing through woods near Chesapeake Street. The trail follows trees and a grassy area behind the Claremont neighborhood, then enters woods between the river and South Duke Street to the Duke Street bridge across the river. Users can cross the bridge on a sidewalk to enter Central Park. During a walk-through of the planned route Tuesday, the conservancy's Martin and contractors came across deer tracks and flushed ducks, Canada geese, common mergansers and a pair of sharp-shinned hawks. Noting remote spots where illegal dumping was evident, Scott Hain of David Miller/Associates, Lancaster, the trail's designer, said a public-use trail should weed out such abuses. The project includes landscaping. Native vegetation will be planted along the trail. The trail is mostly level except for several slight inclines. General contractor for the project is B.R. Kreider & Son of Manheim. Originally, plans were for a grassy trail to blend into the environment, but it was later decided to pave the trail to prevent erosion. When complete, the trail will be part of the the county parks system. Policing will be provided by county park rangers, city police and Manheim Township police, which provide policing for Lancaster Township.
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ruction on the 1.3-mile Conestoga Greenway is about to begin along the Conestoga River in the city and Lancaster Township. 
