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ANALYSIS OF EXISTING CONDITIONS
Based on the (^) preceding Inventory of (^) Existing Conditions the (^) following analysis can^ be derived based on the (^) potential rail trail^ s^ consistency and^ compatibility with^ planning documentation (^) demographic and site^ conditions^ and^ public health^ safety and^ welfare considerations (^) Mapping of (^) many of the^ characteristics and features identified in^ this
anal sis can be found in the A endix ofthe Feasibili Stud these include the
Comprehensive Plan^ Compatibility
Analysis of the^ collected information^ considered^ eight^8 planning^ reports^ compiled^ for the (^) municipalities that this (^) feasibility study affects (^) along with^ additional^ studies completed for Lancaster^ County They^ are^ as^ follows
Proposed Park and^ Open Space^ Plan for Akron^ Borough Ephrata A 2020 Vision Plan^ Strategic Comprehensive^ Plan^ Borough^ of^ Ephrata Ephrata Township Comprehensive^ Plan Park and Recreation Plan (^) Ephrata Township Warwick (^) Region Comprehensive Recreation Park^ and (^) Open Space Plan LititzlWarwick Joint^ Strategic (^) Comprehensive Plan Greenway Trail^ Feasibility Study^ Borough of^ Lititz
Lancaster County Bicycle Pedestrian Plan^ Phase II
Inevitably these^ reports were^ completed^ at^ different^ times^ but^ similarities^ m recommendations (^) regarding greenways and trails^ indicate^ the^ following
Plan for (^) acquisition and^ development of^ strategically located^ open space that^ if developed would^ provide evenly spaced accessible^ recreation for all^ ranging^ in size from small^ community parks through regional attractors
Steps should be taken^ to^ reduce the reliance^ on^ motorized vehicle^ trips throughout^ the County as^ a^ way to^ reduce traffic^ congestion^ and air^ quality^ concerns
Work with (^) existing community special event (^) providers to^ enhance^ and^ improve the event (^) s (^) opportunities
Public health statistics^ support the^ consideration^ of^ walking biking and^ other alternate forms^ of (^) mobility as^ a^ means to^ improve the^ overall^ health^ of^ County residents
Encourage the^ municipalities to^ budget^ additional^ general^ fund dollars^ to^ support^ the operation development and maintenance ofpark^ areas^ and^ recreation^ facilities
Pursue and write^ grant applications for^ funding for^ park acquisition recreation facility development^ and^ staffing^ needs Warwick to (^) Ephrata Rail Trail^ Feasibility Study
Analysis December^2006
Establish (^) joint minimum standards of care^ and^ annual^ costs^ related^ to^ same^ for^ all public park areas^ and^ recreation facilities owned^ or^ operated by^ the^ municipalities^ and
School Districts
Potential Trail Alie nment
It is of (^) importance to^ recognize that^ when^ choosing potential alignment of^ a^ linear recreation corridor and^ transportation resource^ and when^ converting a^ former^ railway corridor (^) many of the undue (^) impacts have^ already been^ dealt with^ Invariably the^ rail companies have^ already chosen^ the^ best^ route to^ suit their needs while^ parrying^ the^ very same conditions that^ would^ pose challenges to^ the^ development ofthe^ recreation corridor Because (^) of this the (^) following observations can^ be made
A Grade Climb limitations of^ locomotives dictated^ avoidance^ of^ steep longitudinal grades This^ benefits recreational trail^ design^ in that^ steep^ grades^ would^ preclude physically challenged users^ from^ participating^ in^ the^ planned park^ and recreation
activities
B (^) Typically railroad (^) engineers sought to^ avoid^ areas^ of^ poor drainage and^ flooding Although in^ cases^ they have^ kept alignment along^ waterways^ as^ they^ pose little grade change However^ there^ was^ always significant grade^ separation^ As^ a result unused corridors (^) today remain^ well^ drained^ and stable^ during significant storm events
C Rail^ corridors could^ not^ always avoid^ passing in close^ proximity to^ developments or in certain cases (^) spurred growth of^ an^ area corridors^ remained^ relatively narrow and sometimes^ interacted with (^) adjacent properties This^ can^ encourage neighboring landowners^ to^ be^ more^ open^ minded in^ acceptance^ to^ a^ rails^ to^ trails project
D Because of (^) safety and for^ ease of^ operation rail^ companies sought to^ implement long straight^ corridors^ that^ have^ flat^ horizontal^ curves^ which^ permitted considerable (^) sight distances (^) Safety is^ always an^ issue^ in^ creating a^ trail^ system and this (^) feature allows (^) fairly easy patrol of the^ corridor and^ is^ conducive^ to^ a feeling of^ security for the^ user
E When railroad (^) engineers were^ faced^ with^ landscape anomalies^ they imposed steep side^ slopes^ in^ cut^ or^ fill that^ fit^ within^ the^ acquired right^ of^ way^ and the construction (^) budget of^ the^ rail^ company These^ solutions^ create^ a^ great visual interest that contrasts to the^ flowing curves of the rail bed itself^ Conversely care must be taken to (^) protect against interaction between^ users^ and^ steep slopes
All of the above described factors can^ be found^ in the^ potential Warwick^ Township to Ephrata Borough^ Rails^ to^ Trails^ corridor^ As^ a^ result^ the^ variety^ of^ potential^ corridor options if^ not^ non^ existent^ are^ extremely^ limited^ As^ a^ result^ the^ trail^ designer^ for this potential project must^ seek^ ways^ to^ provide^ a^ satisfying experience throughout^ the
Warwick to (^) Ephrata Rail^ Trail^ Feasibility Study
Analysis December 2006
Maple Farms
United Church ofChrist Home
ParksRecreationlOpen (^) Space Broad^ Street^ Park Bethany Estates Park Brickyard Park Edgewater Meadow^ Park
Colonial Drive Park
Ephrata Recreation^ Center Ephrata Mountain Park Lincoln (^) Heights Outdoor Recreation^ Area Lincoln (^) Heights Park
Lititz Lions^ Club Park
Lititz (^) Springs Park and (^) Borough Pool Lloyd Roland Memorial Park Moyers Meadow Park
New Street Park
Nissley Park Redcay Playground Riparian Park Tom Grater (^) Community Park^ Pool Volunteer Fire^ Company ofRothsville Warwick (^) Township Forney Polo Field Park Warwick (^) Township Lions Club Park Warwick (^) Township Municipal Campus Park
Westview Golf Course
80 s^ Lanes^ Games
Schools Akron^ Elementary School
Ephrata Area^ Rehab Services Ephrata High School Ephrata Middle School Fulton (^) Elementary School Highland Avenue^ Elementary^ School John Bonfield (^) Elementary School
Kissel Hill^ Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School
Linden Hall
Lititz Area Mennonite
Lititz Elementary School
Middle Creek School
Our (^) Mother ofPerpetual Help Owl Hill (^) Learning Center
S1 Clement s^ Mission House
Warwick Middle^ School
Warwick (^) High School
Warwick to (^) Ephrata Rail^ Trail^ Feasibility Study
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Analysis December 2006^5
CommunityDevelopments Fulton^ Manor Heritage Village
In addition^ to the above (^) approximately 40 churches^ lie (^) immediately adjacent to^ or^ within one mile ofthe rail corridor
Proposed cultural^ features^ destinations^ attractors^ government centers^ greenbelts^ trails hospitals retirement^ facilities^ parks recreationopen^ space^ and^ schools^ immediately adjacent to^ or^ within^ approximately one^ mile^ of the^ rail^ corridor^ including^ features^ in Lititz (^) Borough and West Earl^ Township include the^ following
Greenbelts Trails^ Ephrata Rail^ Trail^ under^ construction Lititz (^) Borough Greenway and Trail (^) System
Little Creek Park
Lloyd Roland Park Trail^ System expansion
Existine ownershio oatterns^ owner^ land^ manaeement^ oolicies^ and^ lee^ al^ status
The (^) following summarizes the^ findings ofthe^ Township Managers Township Solicitors Farmland Trust (^) Representative Agricultural Preserve^ Board and the^ Consultant
A In most cases the^ tracts ofland^ adjoining the Rails^ to^ Trails corridor^ are^ operated and or^ resided^ upon by their^ owner
B Six farms^ within^ Warwick (^) Township have^ preservation easements^ held^ by the Agricultural Preserve^ Board that^ adjoin the^ Rails^ to^ Trails^ corridor^ In^ addition one (^) farm in Warwick (^) Township has a (^) preservation easement^ held^ by the Lancaster Farmland Trust^ Of these^ several^ potentially impact the^ design of^ the
trail as noted^ in x i0i k^ C J^ w W and 1 lw
C The^ status of the claims^ to^ ownership ofthe^ Corridor^ appear to^ stand^ as^ follows
1 Within Warwick^ Township many of the^ deeds^ read^ that^ they run^ to^ the center of the (^) right of way This^ may be^ because^ the^ railroad^ at^ its inception purchased^ the^ right^ of^ way^ or a^ conditional^ right^ ofaccess
(^2) Ephrata Township presents the^ fewest^ potential obstacles^ because^ of the number of^ adjoining properties Through the^ deed^ list^ the^ Reading Railroad is^ listed as^ owning the^ right of^ way in variable^ widths^ through the (^) Township
3 Within Akron^ Borough most^ of the^ properties adjoining the^ right of^ way do not (^) present any potential obstacles^ as^ the deeds read that^ they end^ at^ the right of way line^ There^ are^ a^ handful of^ properties^ for^ which the^ deeds reflect (^) ownership to^ the^ center^ or^ thereabouts^ ofthe^ right of^ way
Warwick to (^) Ephrata Rail Trail^ Feasibility Study
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Analysis December 2006^7
opportunities for^ expansion of^ existing facilities and^ by providing the^ potential for the addition (^) of new (^) open space areas that would (^) provide the (^) capability for a (^) range of programming depending on^ what is^ seen as^ most^ desired
Level of demand
Based on the various (^) community planning documents^ researched^ the^ following conclusions can be derived
A Residents from^ all^ participating municipalities expressed interest^ in^ connecting existing and^ improvingadding^ new^ passive^ recreation^ opportunities
B In most cases^ the^ opportunity of^ developing this^ rail^ trail corridor^ was^ expressed as a (^) desired (^) development to be (^) completed in the future
C (^) Specific insights for each^ municipality include
(^1) Warwick (^) Township residents list^ hikin (^) jogging and^ cross^ country skiing as their favorite recreational^ pursuits 4
(^2) Ephrata Township as of their (^1995) study did^ not^ own^ any developed parkland or^ greenways^ All^ parks public^ spaces^ are^ owned and^ maintained by Ephrata Borough^ and the^ local school district^
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3 Warwick (^) Township noted that there^ is^ a^ lack of^ a^ strategic non^ motorized pedestrian circulation system^
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4 The^ Borough of (^) Ephrata has^ identified^ the^ Cocalico Creek^ as^ an^ element of utmost (^) importance to (^) preserve as (^) part of their^ open space network Since the trail crosses this natural^ feature^ there^ is^ an^ opportunity to connect the two corridors 2
5 As^ a^ general rule^ all^ participating municipalities have^ outlined^ the importance for^ a^ cooperative plan^ for^ linkages^ between^ residential^ areas parks stores^ schools and^ other^ community^ facilities^ These^ in^ turn^ would provide a^ comprehensive^ all^ encompassing^ connection^ to most^ if^ not^ all
recreational facilities
6 Akron (^) Borough has^ identified^ the^ Lloyd Roland^ Park^ as^ one^ of its^ most valuable assets and is^ looking at^ expanding it^ to^ provide additional trails and to (^) preserve woodlands that^ may represent the^ oldest^ growth within their (^) municipality 1 6
(^7) Although a^ jitney type transportation service^ was^ identified^ for^ potential future (^) development in^ Ephrata Borough that^ could^ potentially be
Warwick (^) to (^) Ephrata Rail Trail (^) Feasibility Study
Analysis December 2006^8
integrated with^ the^ rail trail^ no^ activity^ IS^ underway^ relating^ to development of^ same
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It is (^) readily apparent that the^ survey results^ from^ tne communities^ planning documents conclude that^ aside^ from^ needing additional recreation facilities^ trail related^ recreation and (^) linkages are^ needed^ will^ be used^ and^ should^ be^ provided by^ the^ municipalities Community growth^ being^ in^ the^ forefront^ of^ the^ minds^ of^ community^ officials^ and planners is^ something^ to^ anticipate^ for which^ adequate parkrecreation facilities should be (^) planned
Aoolicable historicalcultural and^ environmental^ education^ alone^ the corridor
The (^) corridor offers the (^) following unique interpretive opportunities
A Historical Cultural
1 Several (^) examples of historic and cultural^ architecture^ are^ near^ or^ adjoin the (^) corridor or did at one time^ and^ are of^ enough importance to^ make note of The^ structures^ that^ still^ exist^ today could^ be^ interpreted through signage and^ descriptions^ oftheir^ importance^ and^ role^ in^ each^ community^ s development Some^ of these^ are as^ follows
a Old stone^ house^ on^ Millway Road
b Train^ Station in Akron
c Jacob Keller House (^) National Historic (^) Register
2 The^ historic downtowns^ and^ designated districts^ of^ Lititz^ Borough and Ephrata Borough
3 As identified in^ the^ Pennsylvania Historical^ and^ Museum Commission PHMC^ was^ requested to^ perform a^ Historic^ Resources search for the^ right of^ way property The Commission^ s^ conclusion^ was that while (^) they didn t think that the^ project if^ completed would^ pose any risk to (^) historic resources (^) they could not^ give a^ definitive^ answer^ until^ the full extent of the (^) project is known
B Environmental
1 Should the^ unnamed (^) tributary that the^ corridor^ crosses^ via the^ culvert be mitigated it^ would^ present an^ opportunity^ for^ education^ and^ interpretation to trail^ users
Warwick to (^) Ephrata Rail Trail^ Feasibility Study
