Hopewell Township’s portion of the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail (LHT) can be completed now that the full Township Committee voted unanimously Tuesday night to adopt a $400,000 bond ordinance.
By John Tredrea, Special Writer
Hopewell Township’s portion of the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail (LHT) can be completed now that the full Township Committee voted unanimously Tuesday night to adopt a $400,000 bond ordinance that will pay for the work.
"This is wonderful news," township Mayor Vanessa Sandom said of the impending completion of the portion of the LHT located in Hopewell Township. "I’m very happy about this."
Under construction for several years, the LHT is a 20-mile loop, for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting the two townships.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, township administrator/engineer Paul Pogorzelski said the bond will cover costs, including design and engineering, that won’t be covered by grants the LHT has received.
The new section of the LHT the bond in ordinance will pay for will be in the northeastern portion of the 58-square mile township. It will run near Cleveland Road, which runs off Carter Road, through a 240-acre tract off Carter Road that will be preserved as open space and near the 122-home Princeton Farms development, off Pennington-Rocky Hill and Moores Mill Mount Rose roads.
Already being considered by the Township Committee and LHT officials is a proposal, backed unanimously by the Hopewell Valley school board, to extend the LHT to all the public schools in the Hopewell Valley district.
At a recent Township Committee meeting, resident Amy Rukenstein’s endorsement of that project got a favorable reaction from committee members. She added that, "when the northern section of the trail is finished, a connection can be made to Hopewell Elementary as well."
It’s that northern section that will be paid for by the bond measure adopted Tuesday night.
Hopewell Elementary is on Princeton Avenue in Hopewell Borough.
Committeeman Michael Markulec liked the idea.
"This is the next logical step — to connect the LHT to our schools."
Other committee members made similar favorable comments.