Keystone College has received a $917,815 state grant to construct an addition to an existing series of hiking and biking trails which connect the campus to neighboring communities.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards announced Tuesday that Keystone will receive the funding as one of 82 projects to improve transportation alternatives and enhance mobility and public accessibility across the commonwealth.
The new project calls for the construction of hiking and biking trails at the southern end of College Avenue, ranging approximately from the college’s Information Technology Center to the tennis courts.
The new trails will help connect the campus with existing hiking and biking trails, including the 1.5-mile segment known as the Trolley Trail, which opened last summer. The Trolley Trail is a critical piece of the non-profit Countryside Conservancy’s envisioned 14-mile public hiking and biking trail that follows the abandoned Northern Electric Railroad Line which will ultimately run from Clarks Summit to Lake Winola. The new segment will also allow more direct access to Keystone’s seven-mile community use trail system that has been in existence for many years.
“We are delighted to once again have the opportunity to extend the hiking and biking trail system on our campus and connect it to current and future trails in the community. These projects will continue to improve the quality of life in all of Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Keystone College President David L. Coppola, Ph.D. “We offer our utmost gratitude to Governor Wolf and Secretary Richards for their continued support of Keystone and the local communities we are proud to serve.”
Enrolling about 1,400 students, Keystone offers more than 40 undergraduate and graduate degree options in liberal arts and science-based programs in business, communications, education, fine arts, natural science, environmental resource management, geology, and social sciences. Located 15 minutes from Scranton, Pa. and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, Keystone is known for small class sizes and individual attention focused on student success through internships, research, and community involvement.
