PHOTO PROVIDED Various county and state officials are pictured during an official ribbon cutting for Phase 5 of the Bald Eagle Valley Trail in Wayne Township. At center, DCNR Representative Wes Fahringer had the honor of cutting the ribbon.

PHOTO PROVIDED
The completed ADA compliant ramping that extends from Katie’s Crossing next to the West Branch of the Susquehanna River is pictured.

McELHATTAN — The Clinton County Commissioners and various local and state officials gathered recently to mark the completion of another phase of the Bald Eagle Valley Trail (BEVT).

On Friday, May 2, the commissioners, along with those who helped make this portion of the BEVT a reality, gathered near Katie’s Crossing — and the start of phase five — to celebrate the milestone.

This one-mile section extends from Katie’s Crossing — the sole pedestrian crossing of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania — to state Route 150 near Avis.

According to a release from the county, this phase features paved switchbacks from the existing bridge and continues along the river to a newly paved trailhead at the end of Fritz Road.

The Bald Eagle Valley Trail (BEVT) is a multi-year, multi-phase project, developed and maintained by Clinton County Government, consisting of a walking/bike trail designed to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities, promote healthy lifestyles and connect the community with the natural beauty of Clinton County.

The BEVT will eventually connect the City of Lock Haven to the Pine Creek Rail Trail, with a series of safe and ADA compliant trails that are usable by persons of all ages and abilities. Once complete, the BEVT will be approximately 10 miles in length and connect to a point near the Pine Creek Rail Trail in Lycoming County.

The ribbon cutting and tour helped to celebrate the opening of new sections of the trail during a break in the spring rain.

Representatives from Clinton County, the City of Lock Haven, Senator Cris Dush’s Office, Representative Stephanie Borowicz’s Office, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Community and Economic Development, PennDOT and local tourism and recreation organizations such as the Clinton County Visitors Bureau attended.

Speakers at the event included Commissioners Jeffrey Snyder and Angela Harding; Rick Vilello, DCED Deputy Secretary Community Affairs and Development; and Wes Farhringer, recreation and conservation advisor for DCNR.

Funding for BEVT Phase 5 was made possible through a design grant provided by PA DCNR and a construction Transportation Alternatives Set Aside Grant administered by PennDOT District 2-0.

With the completion of Phase 5 of the trail, there are portions of the BEVT projects that continue to be developed. Information below was provided to The Express by Community Planner and Zoning Officer Matthew Croak in March while Phase 5 was still under construction.

Construction Phase

— Phase 3 of the Bald Eagle Valley Trail is the last of the “major gaps” that is needed to complete the formation of the trail within Clinton County. Once complete, you will be able to walk or ride your bike from the Castanea Train Station all the way to Phase 5. This phase will pick up from where the trail currently ends in Wayne Township, and follow the existing PP&L right of way. It will feature two stream crossings that will see two former railroad bridges be renovated to a similar style at Katie’s Crossing. The trail will then navigate through Wayne Township Park and onto Linnwood Drive and then to McKinney Road where it will share the road use to the Spook Hollow Road section of the trail. One of the unique features this phase will bring is its spur connection it will offer to First Quality in McElhattan. Folks who commute to work that are local will be able to ride their bikes or even walk versus driving a car in the warmer months if they want to.

— Phase 6 is the spur connection to the City of Lock Haven that has been designed and is a shovel ready project. This section will connect the trail from the Train Station in Castanea back to the City of Lock Haven. The trail will be constructed along Caroline Avenue towards the Jarret Avenue Bridge where an ADA compliant ramp will be constructed. It will cross over and back under the bridge and run along Creek Road where it will make connections with Hanna Street and to the City of Lock Haven.

Planning and Design Phase

— Phase 7: This is the phase that will make the connection from the trailhead at the Avis exit in Pine Creek Township to Lycoming County. The ultimate goal of this project when it was started was to connect to the Pine Creek Rails to Trail. Currently, there are a few ideas that have been thought of and the planning department is still deciding on which option would be the best suited for development.

For more information, contact the Clinton County Planning Department at 570-893-4080