Morrisville council narrowly approves application for four regional trail projects after debate over cost and floodway risks

The Morrisville Borough Council voted 5-4 on March 17 to authorize Gilmore & Associates to prepare and submit a DVRPC Regional Trails grant application proposing four trail segments: a Levee Trail extension and improvements, a Franklin Street loop connection to the Delaware Canal Trail, a connector to the SummerSeat/Patriots Park area, and a Clymer Avenue connection.

Borough engineer Jacob presented the concepts and preliminary cost estimates: he said a full new extension could run in the neighborhood of $600,000, while widening and improving the existing Levee Trail with lighting and ADA crossings was estimated around $300,000; other connector segments were described in the low hundreds of thousands. "One of the requirements is to connect to circuit trails," Jacob said, explaining the grant programs priorities.

Some council members opposed proceeding without more resident input and deeper design work. A dissenting member warned that portions of the proposed connection sit in a floodway where seasonal high water and debris regularly cover existing informal paths. "The water will bring trees through there," a council member said, urging more study and community planning before committing borough resources.

Supporters said the grant funding required a rapid response and could be used to secure planning funds; they argued approving an application does not obligate construction and that more detailed design and public outreach would follow if the borough is awarded funds.

The narrow 5-4 vote authorizes staff to move forward with the application; the council recorded no immediate appropriation of matching funds at the March 17 meeting and members who voted against the motion said they hoped the borough would pursue interior-park trail grants with more resident input at a later date.