CARBONDALE -- Work has begun on the next phase of the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail.
The Carbondale Riverwalk is a two-mile section of trail that will run through the heart of the city's downtown.
It won't be long now until a section of John Street which was abandoned in Carbondale will be the latest stretch of the trail.
Owen Worozbyt is the project manager. He showed us the path the trail will take along the river and even through the city's downtown.
“A little over a mile stretch of trail in downtown Carbondale will connect downtown Carbondale to the D & H Rail Trail and beyond,” said Worozbyt.
After more than four years of planning, the $1.5 million project is on track to begin with an overhaul of an old railroad bridge.
The Lackawanna River Heritage Trail starts in Taylor and makes its way through the Carbondale area to the new trail where construction is supposed to start next week.
Replacing a small bridge and fixing another one down the trail about a mile long stretch adding recreation for this part of the trail.
“Being able to utilize the trail get people out there walking, get outdoors and fresh air will be able to increase what we do here,” said Kyreek Johnson, a personal trainer at the Greater Carbondale YMCA.
The YMCA looks forward to capitalizing on the new river trail, so do its members.
“It’s good for them to walk and get exercise. Especially senior citizens. We don’t want to sit in a rocking chair we want to be out walking. And you can see nature, the leaves are turning now so that's even better,” said Maureen Lucas of Peckville.
Even the Carbondale Grand Hotel has plans to loan bikes to folks who want to ride the trail which should be complete by June 2017.