The Easton railroad has been vacant in recent years. (Photo courtesy of Trust for Public Land)
The City of Easton was awarded a $500,000 state grant for the construction of an elevated trail from a defunct railway.
The project will convert an unused rail track into a trail and park, aiming to reconnect the Downtown Easton area with regional trail networks and natural areas, according to Trevor Pinho, a leader in city community and economic development.
“We feel a lot of responsibility to our local taxpayers in terms of trying to succeed at these competitive grants like this one,” Pinho said.
The award, from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, was announced on Jan. 23 during a city press conference.
When complete, the highline park will be Easton’s third-largest park, offering elevated views of Downtown and the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers. The highline will improve outdoor access, expand active transportation options and strengthen Easton’s connection to the broader regional trail system, as explained in the conference.
“I hope it brings an opportunity for outdoor recreation,” said Mayor Sal Panto Jr., who said that younger people moving to Easton tend to want outdoor opportunities.
Panto, who will serve as mayor until 2027, expected the project to be completed in 5-10 years.
The project will be developed in partnership with the Trust for Public Land and the Greater Easton Development Partnership.
“Now we’re redeveloping former industrial sites and revitalizing communities like Easton,” Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said in an Easton news conference last Thursday. “We’re transforming places like this long-dormant rail corridor into assets for the community.”
The highline corridor was an active railroad until roughly two years ago, which previously made redevelopment infeasible, according to Pinho. Once rail operations ceased, the city saw an opportunity to advance a project that had appeared in local planning documents for more than a decade.
The highline also casts doubt on the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s goal for a Lehigh Valley modern railway, which was first proposed in 2024. The analysis presented five possible rail lines, including ones that transport passengers to Allentown, New York City and Philadelphia. At the time, development was expected to take a decade at minimum, although the current Highline project does not play a role in the long wait time.
“We haven’t really talked about it because, frankly, the passenger rail thing has been put on the sidelines,” Panto said. “They’re going to take so much capital.”
While the grant moves the Easton highline project forward, that funding is dedicated to the acquisition of the property before the project progresses into trail design and construction. Funding will help acquire five parcels along the former railroad corridor, according to Pinho.
“We’re looking at roughly $1.3 million to acquire the parcels and the bridge,” he said. “This $500,000 grant gets us a long way there, but we still have work to do.”
Because future phases of the project depend on securing additional competitive grants, the timeline remains flexible. Once the acquisition is complete, Easton plans to apply for planning and design funding, which would allow the city to develop engineering plans and seek construction dollars.
The grant application was supported by letters from local businesses and organizations, including the Hearst Enthusiast Group, Community Bike Works, The Coalition for Appropriate Transportation and The Pennsylvania Downtown Center, in addition to boroughs near Easton.