DELAWARE AND LEHIGH NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR INC

Geographic areas served: Lehigh Valley

Programs: Connecting the corridor - foster connections and stewardship by promoting deeper connections among communities, neighbors,and the land and greater appreciation of the corridor's history and its cultural and physical assets in order to foster stewardship and commitment to sustaining and improving the region's quality of life; and create a robust regional network of fully connected trails supporting recreation, wellness, and interpretation using both the "spine" of historic transportaion routes(canals and rails) and other linking routes. Collaboration and technical assistance was concentrated in carbon county(pedestrian bridge in jim thorpe), the lehigh valley(infrastructure issues) and luzerne county(complete trail to wilkes barre) where we provided technical services to close trail gaps.

revitalize the corridor - designed to bring new vigor to the region's economy and enhance amenities available to visitors alike. The landmark towns of bucks county program completed a variety of projects to help unify the area as a visitor destination. Working with local partners, these included participation in delaware canal festival and river towns road rally. Wayfinding and location signs in downtowns, along the towpath and at public buildings now help visitors navigate between trail, parking and downtown amenities. Landmark towns was able to obtain facade grant funds toward a total investment of $307,094 in facade improvements and new signage projects.

preserving the corridor - foster connections and stewardship through public awareness of the corridor's heritage resources. The d&l celebrated its 10th year as the regional coordinator and local lead for the lehigh valley greenways conservation landscape. Continued expansion of the d&l unified message system(visually speaking) included the production of interpretative waysides, refreshed exhibits in the national canal museum, publication of the d&l trail(delaware canal towpath section) map/brochure and enhanced social media presence.

revitalizing the corridor - programs designed to bring new vigor to the regions economy and enhance amenities available to residents and visitors alike. Celebrating the corridor - programs designed to attract both residents and visitors and support positive action in the corridor and include well managed community festival, volunteer events as well as collecting oral histories.