The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) recently awarded Manor Township, a RETTEW client, $800,000, to convert the Safe Harbor Trestle Bridge to recreational use.

An abandoned railroad trestle bridge for the Enola Low Grade line, the bridge will be part of the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail, a regional rail trail crossing Lancaster County. The township is continuing to secure the additional funding necessary for the bridge rehabilitation. To date, including this most recent grant, the township has received more than $2.7 million from the DCNR and other sources for acquisition and development of the 5.2-mile trail, which includes the bridge. Spanning the Conestoga River at its junction with the Susquehanna River, the 1,560-foot structure sits about five miles from the trail’s western trailhead, and creates a gap between sections of the rail trail.  The DCNR has identified the Safe Harbor Trestle Bridge as one of the top 20 priority trail gaps in the state.

RETTEW serves as Manor Township’s Engineer of Record, and assists with projects such as the rail trail completion. The bridge has been inspected and prepared for the next steps, and officials are aiming to complete the rehabilitation as quickly as funding allows.