PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has designated a trail in Bucks County that helps memorialize the terror victims of September 11, 2001 as a Statewide Major Greenway.
Two parts of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor trail were chosen to be coaligned with the September 11 National Memorial Trail.
The trail route links Manhattan to the Pentagon to the site of the Flight 93 crash landing in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and to significant trails across the state.
"What better way for us to commemorate them, that legacy, and to vow that never again will this happen than to do something as beautiful as designating a trail,” said State Senator Steven Santarsiero (D-Bucks County).
The coaligned portions of the trail are between Lumberville and Morrisville, and again between Easton and Jim Thorpe.
DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said that with spring around the corner, the designation for the 165-mile trail route couldn't have come at a more apt time.
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"The COVID pandemic caused people to go outside and appreciate parks and trails, and know their connection to nature is critical, the health that it brings,” said Adams Dunn.
Andy Hamilton, board chair of the trail points out that signs have already been put up along the trails.
"The use of trails during COVID went easily up to 260%. The numbers, depending on what trailhead you're at, there are crazy numbers,” said Hamilton.
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Meanwhile, Michael Ginder, executive director of the Friends of Delaware Canal State Park, said some of the work to memorialize the victims has already been done.
"In 2004, the Friends of the Delaware Canal, through a partnership with DCNR, established memorial benches, part of the towpath and the trail, for all the individuals from Bucks County that lost their lives on that day,” said Ginder.
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