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Northern Extension

Heritage Rail Trail County Park

Current Status

 

FIRST 1.5 MILES OPEN FOR BUSINESS

A public ribbon-cutting ceremony opening the first section of the Northern Extension of HRTCP was held August 20, 2007.

This section begins at John Rudy County Park, Mundis Race Road, York, PA and extends 1.5 miles to Crist Memorial Fields in Manchester Township.

This section has a macadam surface and offers many nice views of the nearby Codorus Creek.

This section is now under the management of the York County Parks Department.

Contact: (717) 840-7440 or www.yorkcountyparks.org.


WHAT'S NEXT?

Phase 1A, which includes construction of a small pedestrian bridge and approximately 0.1 mile of macadam trail, will be constructed in the summer of 2009. Engineering of Phase 2, which will include a separate bridge across the Codorus Creek at Emig Road, 2.5 miles of trail, and a parking lot near RT 30, is nearing completion. Construction of Phase 2 is planned to begin early in 2010.


HISTORY

A feasibility study of a Northern Extension of the Heritage Rail Trail County Park was completed in July of 2003 by the York engineering firm of Buchart Horn, Inc./Basco Associates. View of bridge on Northern Extension of HRTCP The study involved thorough investigations of the existing city streets and bridges from Lafayette Plaza to Smalls Athletic Field, the east and west banks of the Codorus Creek, and connections to John Rudy County Park.

Grants received in 2005 from the Codorus Creek Watershed Endowment of York County Community Foundation and PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources allowed engineering of Phase 1 (John Rudy County Park to Crist Memorial Fields) to begin. Engineering was completed in 2006, and construction was completed in 2007.

Phase 1A, which includes construction of a small pedestrian bridge and approximately 0.1 mile of macadam trail, will be constructed in the summer of 2009.

Phase 2, which includes construction of a bridge across the Codorus Creek, 2.5 miles of trail, and a parking lot near the intersection of RT 30 and Loucks Mill Road, is set for construction in 2010.

The final two phases, which will complete the connection to the existing Heritage Rail Trail County Park at Lafayette Plaza in downtown York, continue to be advanced by the efforts of North York Borough to acquire and install a PennDOT recycled bridge across Willis Run and by the efforts of York City Redevelopment Authority to acquire properties and prepare the City's Northwest Triangle area for a major redevelopment project.

 

Project Location

 

York County, PA Lafayette Plaza in the City of York to John Rudy County Park in East Manchester Township.

 

Participating Agencies

 

York County Rail Trail Authority, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, York County Planning Commission, York County Convention and Visitors Bureau, York County Department of Parks and Recreation, City of York, York City Redevelopment Authority, North York Borough, Spring Garden Township, Springettsbury Township, Manchester Township, East Manchester Township, US Army Corps of Engineers.

 

Funding Sources

 

York County Rail Trail Authority, York County Convention and Visitors Bureau, County of York, York County Community Foundation, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, City of York, North York Borough, Spring Garden Township, Springettsbury Township, Manchester Township, East Manchester Township.

 

Vision

 

In 1999, the York County Rail Trail Authority completed the construction of the 21-mile Heritage Rail Trail County Park and turned the management over to the York County Department of Parks and Recreation. This non-motorized, multi-use recreational trail draws several hundred thousand users on an annual basis and contributes millions of dollars to the economy of York County.

The current trail ends at Lafayette Plaza in downtown York's historic district. For several years, the cityNorth view of Northern Extension of HRTCP has been pursuing the development of a minor-league baseball stadium at the north edge of the city along the banks of the Codorus Creek. The US Army Corps of Engineers also expressed interest in having a recreational trail developed on the levees that it maintains as part of the Codorus Creek flood control project. With the possibility of a trail connecting to John Rudy County Park and its significant recreational facilities, the York County Department of Parks and Recreation also got behind the concept. Consequently, the feasibility study sites the City of York, the US Army Corps, and the Parks Department as key partners in the development of the extension.

The feasibility study suggests a preferred alignment for the trail that includes following the west bank of the Codorus Creek to the RT 30 Bridge, alterations to this bridge in partnership with PennDOT that would provide for ramps and extensions to the width of the bridge, continuing on the east bank to the Emig Road Bridge, alterations to this bridge structure, and proposed connections to both John Rudy County Park and the new campus of Central York High School.

 

The Future

 

With the feasibility study completed in 2003, the York County Rail Trail Authority, along with the other participating organizations, began prioritizing the segments or phases of the trail to be developed. Negotiations with landowners began in spring 2004 to acquire easements for the trail. Additionally, the Rail Trail Authority began the process of seeking local, state, and federal funds through a variety of grant programs for engineering and construction of each phase of the project. The extension from John Rudy County Park to the RT 30 Bridge is expected to be completed in 2010. The connection to York City is projected for completion in 2012.