Community Planning

Planning for a more sustainable and resilient future.

Bull Run Greenway

The Bull Run Greenway was envisioned as a network of public parks serving as a catalyst for economic development and neighborhood revitalization as well as a model for flood-resilient community design.

Probably one of the most exciting aspects of the Greenway Plan is the success we’ve had in securing funding for the first phase implementation, dubbed the Kidsburg Recreation Initiative, which focuses on the site south of St Louis St, between the east side of S 6th St and the railroad tracks, with extensions north beside the railroad tracks to connect to the rail trail and along the creek to address the remaining vertical retaining walls in the park.

Bull Run Greenway Master Plan Presentation – March 2017 (pdf) (9M)

Bull Run Greenway Report 030217 – Low Resolution (pdf) (10M)

Master Site Plan South – 50 Scale – 030317 (pdf) (1.8M)

Master Site Plan North – 50 Scale – 030317 (pdf) (1.4M)

Climate Action Strategy

In the fall of 2021, Lewisburg Neighborhoods, acting on behalf of the Borough of Lewisburg, partnered with Bucknell University and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to undertake a local climate action plan for the Borough of Lewisburg.

The first part of the project entailed assembling a detailed inventory of emissions for the entire borough. In the second part of the project, a local team was assembled that interpreted the data and made mitigation and adaptation recommendations to lower borough carbon emissions. The climate action strategy was finalized and adopted by Lewisburg Borough Council in June of 2023.

In 2020, Bucknell’s Environmental Studies 411 class studied the carbon emissions for the Borough of Lewisburg’s municipal government (the emissions generated by borough operations).

You can find a presentation of their results, final paper, and detailed excel files documenting borough emissions.

Rail Trail Expansion & Rt. 15 Crossing

In 2015, the River Town Team Connectivity Project hosted two tours entitled “How Does the Chicken Cross This Road?” referring to Rt 15 in Lewisburg. Both tours were well attended attesting to the high level of interest in this question.

Between the additional rail trail construction and all the new development at the Penn House Commons site, questions about how people can cross the highway safely on foot or by bike are very timely.

River Town/Access

The River Town Team has provided a wealth of planning resources.

Lewisburg Focus Group notes (pdf) — notes from 2014 meeting
Lewisburg — A River Town? (pdf) — presentation on Lewisburg’s potential to become a River Town
Canoe-Kayak Launch Study (pdf) — review of possible public launch sites in Borough
BU River Access Trail Design Proposal (pdf) — 2013 student study of potential riverbank improvements
BVRT Future Phases (pdf) — trail network image from Buffalo Valley Rail Trail planning
Lewisburg: River Town Planning (pdf) — compilation of past, current and proposed concepts from Community Planning Forum

Route 15 Corridor Study

As the Route 15 bypass is completed, we must work to develop this corridor so that it has more mixed-use development and is friendlier to bikers and walkers.

The Union County Planning Department conducted a planning study in 2012 that offers a vision for a friendlier and more economically robust corridor.

U.S. 15 Smart Transportation Corridor Improvement Plan (pdf)

Bull Run Watershed Study

The Bull Run Greenway offers a vision for recreation and flood mitigation improvements within the borough. However, fully mitigating flood risk in the borough requires us to look upstream as well.

LandStudies, Inc. studied the Limestone (Bull) Run Watershed and came up with an action plan for flood mitigation and environmental restoration in 2017.

As the Borough of Lewisburg works on implementing the Greenway, this document offers a vision for future flood mitigation efforts that collaborate with upstream neighbors.

Bull Run Watershed Action Plan (pdf)

Members of the community working together to preserve natural settings and streetscapes, strengthen ties among neighbors, and improve the quality of life in Lewisburg for residents and visitors.