CARLISLE, Pa. -- New trail bridges over Fogelsanger Rd. in Shippensburg and Big Spring Rd. in Newville are scheduled to be installed in the coming weeks. The bridges and associated trail work were funded through grants from the PA Department of Transportation, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the PA Department of Economic Development, and the Partnership for Better Health (Carlisle).
The project is being overseen by the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail Council (CVRTC), a 501c3 nonprofit. Installation of the two bridges is part of a trail upgrade program that also includes a .9-mile extension of the trail from Shippensburg Township park to Fort Street in Shippensburg and a 1.5-mile extension and underpass beneath Rt. 233 in Newville, extending the trail to Big Spring High School. At the end of December, the CVRTC also completed a mile of new trail at Allen Rd. on the western edge of Carlisle that will be linked this summer via Carlisle Borough’s West End Trail to the existing network of trails in the borough.
“The placement of the two bridges represents the culmination of more than a decade of work by dedicated volunteers,” said Dr. Jerry Angulo, CVRTC president. “The spans link the community of Shippensburg to the west and open the way for our eventual goal of completing a continuous 22-mile trail from Downtown Shippensburg, through Newville to Carlisle.” The work in Shippensburg is being directed by Rettew Associates (Lancaster) with construction by Hempt Bros., Inc. (Camp Hill). The work in Newville is being directed by Wilson Consulting Group (Mechanicsburg) with construction by Farhat Excavating, LLC (Duncannon). The Big Spring Rd. trail bridge sections for Newville are being delivered by Daily Express (Carlisle).
Tentative schedule (weather permitting):
• Thursday, March 23: Fogelsanger Rd. trail bridge (already on site) erected
• Monday, March 27: Big Spring Rd. trail bridge sections moved from Carlisle to Newville
• Wednesday, March 29: Big Spring Rd. trail bridge erected
• Sunday, April 23: Shippensburg trail and bridge ribbon-cutting ceremony
• Early June: Underpass at Centerville Rd.
The CVRTC aims to preserve the beauty and history of this valuable piece of the Cumberland Valley. Once a stretch of abandoned railroad track, the CVRTC has spent the last 19 years developing and maintaining the multipurpose trail for walking, jogging, biking, horseback riding, and other recreational use.
As an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization, the CVRTC relies on membership dues, contributions, and fundraisers to develop and maintain the trail. The organization is currently participating in the Match Madness campaign supported by the Partnership for Better Health at http://www.forbetterhealthpa.org/what-we-do/match-madness-2/. Donations made before the end of March through the Match Madness campaign will receive a matching amount from the Partnership for Better Health.
