Tom Cotay, a Lebanon Valley Rail Trail board member, asked the commissioners to sign a resolution and attach it to a DCED grant application so work can move forward on the trail's remaining urban section through the Lebanon Valley Mall.

The commissioners approved the requested resolution and two DCNR time-extension letters by voice vote. Cotay said preliminary engineering and environmental clearance are under way and that the grant application for Phase 6D seeks $711,388 in statewide LSA funds. "The grant application is for $711,388," Cotay told commissioners, describing the mall's long-term linear easement and final design approvals already filed at the courthouse.

Why it matters: The Phase 6 work would complete the last unfinished stretch of the urban rail-trail, creating continuous pedestrian and bicycle access through the mall area and to the 25th Street underpass. Cotay said Phase 6C (the 22nd Street section) is a longer, more complex project requiring road relocation and a new bridge and is expected to start in 2026 and finish in 2027; Phase 6D (through the mall) is a short, fast project slated for an April–July 2027 window if funded.

Commissioners asked practical questions about staging and amenities. One commissioner noted design documents show only a single bike rack at the mall entrance; Cotay said that was intentional because the mall requested a single rack, but confirmed pedestrian access will be prioritized and that traffic-control equipment will be installed at the 25th Street underpass so pedestrians and bicyclists have their own signal phase.

The board also approved a two-year extension for Phase 10A/10B (north of Jonestown) while designers resolve easements and DEP permitting, moving the deadline from Dec. 31, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2027. Cotay said Phase 10A is already under construction and that Phase 10B will extend to Lickdale Road and the KOA campground.

The resolution and extension letters were signed to allow grant submission and to maintain project timelines; commissioners did not vote on construction contracts during the meeting.

Provenance: Topic introduced SEG 536; discussion and final approvals recorded through SEG 714.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are those listed in the meeting transcript.