County directs state grant to Manor Twp. rail trail project

At their weekly worksession on Tuesday, the county commissioners agreed to transfer sponsorship of a $1M state grant to Manor Township "to convert five miles of abandoned trail bed along the Susquehanna river into a recreational trail for joggers, bicyclists, and horseback riders."

The five miles of railway to be converted run from roughly Turkey Hill Dairy to Safe Harbor in Conestoga Township, explained Matt Kofroth of the Lancaster County Conservation District.

The 408-acre corridor is part of Norfolk Southern's Enola Low-Grade line, but is not to be confused with the other 23-miles of rail line running east-west through the southern part of the county, about which there had been much controversy a few years ago.

The $1M had been secured by the county in 2006 as part of a $1.75 million grant under Pennsylvania's Growing Greener County Environmental Initiative.

Manor Township is having the property appraised and design work will likely begin next year.

Among the items on the commissioners' agenda for Wednesday is the expenditure of $377,806 in county funds to help purchase agricultural conservation easements in order to preserve 242 acres of farmland in Fulton, Ephrata, and Drumore Townships.