PA: Active transportation summit looks at car-free travel in Lancaster County

The Global Shapers Lancaster Hub wants to make it easier for people to get around Lancaster County without a car — whether they do it by choice or by necessity.

The organization of young adults working to address local issues in Lancaster County has made promoting alternative forms of transportation a priority.

Its annual Ride Roll & Stroll Lancaster Active Transportation Summit earlier this month at Bright Side Opportunities Center in Lancaster city brought together bicyclists, skateboarders, transit agencies, carpool organizers and older adults who walk around the city.

The transportation advocates' discussions included increasing access to bike paths and public transit, and challenges faced by people who don't have access to vehicles.

"It's helpful to see all of the organizations that are working on mobilizing active transportation," said Rebecca Lauver, a curator with the Global Shapers Lancaster Hub.

Here are three takeaways from the event.

For some Lancaster County residents, alternative transportation isn't optional

For those without a car, getting around Lancaster County presents daily challenges those with cars rarely experience. Transportation affects everything from housing and employment to buying groceries.

Monica Caraballo of the Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County has seen that firsthand through her work with the organization's RISE program, which helps clients with financial assistance and connecting with resources.

"Transportation is one of the hardest barriers I've had to overcome with people, and they end up quite literally paying for it," Caraballo said.

Resettled refugees who arrive in Lancaster County with limited funds often can't afford to buy a car, according to Matt Johnson of Church World Service in Lancaster city.

The jobs and affordable housing units available to them can be located in isolated parts of the county. Traveling between them by bus can take much longer than it does by car, Johnson said.

Safer connections between city and county are forming

Closing gaps on a planned 12-mile bike route extending east and west from downtown Lancaster is a long-term goal for planners with the city and county. Known as the "Greater Lancaster Heritage Pathway," the route was plotted out in the county's first-ever active transportation plan in 2019.

Karl Graybill, an environmental planner for the city, said a planned bridge spanning the Conestoga River at Conestoga Pines Park is part of a plan to connect a new bike path on the Walnut Street Extension in East Lampeter Township to east-west bike lanes already in place on Walnut and Lemon streets in Lancaster city. A boardwalk on the Conestoga, parallel to Route 23, would be required to get around Amtrak's arched stone bridge over the river.

A path through a Franklin & Marshall College-owned nature preserve on the west side could someday link the same bike lanes with the planned 2.5-mile Conestoga Blue Green corridor without using public roads.

"You'll have a 12-mile, east-west trail coming through the city, connecting with a 2.5 mile north-south trail on the west side," said Mike Domin, principal planner for the Lancaster County Planning Commission. (The commission is currently gathering public input in advance of updating the county's Parks and Trails Plan for the first time since 1992. The survey is open until May 31 and available at lanc.news/trailsplan25.)

Meanwhile, connections continue to form in other areas of the county. By the end of 2026 Enola Low Grade trail is set to cover 29 miles — stretching from Turkey Hill to the Chester County line.

A varied group sees opportunities in working together

Making it easier to get around without a car in Lancaster County requires residents to show they support the necessary changes, the planners said.

The summit was a step toward organizing that support, bringing together groups that use different modes of transportation but share similar goals.

Beyond calling on elected officials for more funding, Graybill said that advocates can show support for safety projects that face pushback for taking away parking spaces, like the flexible plastic poles at city intersections.

"The safety of everybody who uses the street is really contingent on us making these improvements, and that will ultimately take away some parking." he said. "We're very cognizant of that, we're very careful with that. And what you can do is help us there."

Domin said that in his career with the county, he has seen support for bike infrastructure in the county grow. The success of the Enola Low Grade and Northwest River trails have helped build momentum. Those projects only happened because of government investment. Without more funding, it will be harder to complete the trail improvements in the county's active transportation plan.

"They won't do it unless there's a squeaky wheel, and you have to be that squeaky wheel to get them to invest," he said.

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