HARRISBURG, PA — The Shapiro-Davis Administration stepped in Friday with a $500,000 state investment to keep Easton’s long-stalled Highline project alive after a federal grant for the effort was rescinded, salvaging plans to transform an abandoned rail corridor into a signature public greenway in Northampton County.
Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the funding will support the acquisition of about 17.57 acres in Easton and West Easton Borough for development of the Easton Highline, a two-mile elevated trail and park project designed to reconnect downtown neighborhoods with nearby natural spaces.
The grant is part of a nearly $82 million statewide investment supporting more than 295 recreation and conservation projects across Pennsylvania, aimed at expanding outdoor access, protecting natural resources, and strengthening local communities.
State officials said the Easton Highline project faced an uncertain future after the loss of federal funding, prompting the administration to intervene to ensure the work continues. The project is being developed in partnership with the City of Easton, the Greater Easton Development Partnership, and the Trust for Public Land.
Plans call for converting a long-dormant rail corridor into the city’s third-largest park, offering elevated views of downtown and the Lehigh and Delaware rivers. The Highline will include a continuous trail supporting walking, biking, and running, while linking downtown Easton to the Two Rivers Trail Network via the West Easton Bike Path. Future connections are planned to the 165-mile Delaware and Lehigh Trail and the proposed Morris Canal Greenway in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
The site lies within the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and the Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape, tying the project into broader regional conservation and recreation efforts. In addition to recreational benefits, the project will conserve more than 17 acres of woodland, helping reduce erosion, improve water quality, and store carbon.
Local officials said the Highline is expected to drive tourism, increase foot traffic for nearby businesses, and expand access to green space in neighborhoods that currently have limited outdoor amenities.
The Easton announcement was accompanied by additional grant awards across Northampton County through DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program. Projects include funding for a South Bethlehem Greenway segment, park and trail improvements in Hellertown and Wind Gap, open space acquisition in Nazareth Borough and Upper Nazareth Township, and river restoration work in Lower Saucon Township.
DCNR also announced Friday the appointment of Ron Gilliland as manager of the Tuscarora State Park Complex in Schuylkill County. Gilliland will oversee Tuscarora State Park and Locust Lake State Park, a combined 3,300 acres featuring lakes, campgrounds, and extensive recreational amenities. A Butler native and U.S. Army veteran, Gilliland brings more than a decade of experience within DCNR, most recently serving as assistant manager at Delaware Canal State Park.
Communities and nonprofit organizations statewide can apply for the latest round of Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants through April 30 at 4:00 PM. Application details and guidance are available at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/programs-and-services/grants and through DCNR’s Grants Customer Service Portal at https://apps.dcnr.pa.gov/grants/.
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