Park wants public input for transportation alternatives

BUSHKILL — Federal officials are looking for better ways to get people in and out of the park. The National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration are undertaking an extensive Alternative Transportation Feasibility Study for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the surrounding areas in Pa. and N.J. “A sustainable alternative transportation system will allow us to bring more people into the park without adding more cars and pollution. It will also create an opportunity for businesses, local communities, and the National Park Service to work cooperatively to resolve transportation and transit issues that affect all of us,” said said Superintendent John Donahue. Public participation is very important to the success of this project. Two open houses were to be held to solicit input from the public. The first open house was scheduled for Sept. 25, at the Bushkill Meeting/Visitor Center in Bushkill. A second open house meeting will be held later this year; at a date which has yet to be determined. The National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration have contracted with the Vanasse Hangen Brustlin/ Jacobs Engineering Group team (VHB/Jacobs) to conduct the study over the next several months. The study will evaluate existing transportation options and identify practical alternatives to improve public access to and within the park. Each year, approximately five million people visit Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, making it one of the most visited units of the National Park System. For more information and to submit written comments, please contact Management Assistant, Debbie O’Leary at 570-426-2430.