Lawrence-Hopewell Trail expected to be half done this year

Becky Taylor of Bristol-Myers Squibb: ”We expect to make 50 percent or more of the trail accessible this year.”

By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
   The Lawrence-Hopewell Trail (LHT) — a 20-mile loop-shaped pathway for pedestrians and cyclists connecting Lawrence and Hopewell townships — is expected to be at least 50 percent complete by the end of 2008.
    ”We expect to make 50 percent or more of the trail accessible this year,” said Becky Taylor of Bristol-Myers Squibb (B-MS) at Tuesday night’s Hopewell Township Committee meeting.
   At that meeting, the committee formally accepted a $200,000 B-MS grant for the trail. The firm, which has a large office-research campus in the eastern section of the township, has spent a total of $1.5 million on trail thus far, Fred Egenoff of B-MS said at Tuesday night’s meeting. A portion of the trail already runs along the southern edge of the B-MS campus, on Pennington-Rocky Hill Road.
   The trail “is an opportunity for our employees and others to get out into the environment,” Mr. Egenoff said.
   The trail passes through Rosedale Park in eastern Hopewell Township and Mercer County Park Northwest, which straddles Hopewell and Lawrence townships. The two parks total over 1,000 acres and abut other parks, such as the Mercer County Equestrian Center, which abuts the Curlis Lake tract, also a park.
   Ms. Taylor said mown looped trails through Rosedale and Mercer County Northwest parks will be completed as part of the LHT this summer. Signs with directions will be posted. Signs will not be used on wetlands. Planned for each park is an LHT kiosk.
   When complete, the trail will connect B-MS with the Educational Testing Center (ETS) in Lawrence and multiple other sites. The trail will “provide alternate means of transportation (cycling and walking) and opportunities for exercise,” Committeeman David Sandahl said.
   Township Administrator/Engineer Paul Pogorzelski said a goal, actively being pursued, is to connect the LHT with another 20-plus miles of trails that will lead to the Delaware River in Titusville and other portions of the county.