Along The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC). Photo courtesy of DLNHC.
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC) is a protected region spanning five counties and 165 miles of trail between Wilkes-Barre and Bristol, Pennsylvania. The DLNHC connects people to the region by preserving its rich industrial history, natural resources, and opportunities for economic development along the D&L Trail. When DLNHC wanted to evaluate the effectiveness of its eight-year-old D&L Trail Towns Program, they hired Cycle Forward.
Dates: September-December 2025
Client: Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC)
Location: Northeast Pennsylvania
Outdoor Assets: 165-mile D&L Trail
Project Type: Research, Report Development
Collaborator: Silas Chamberlain, Firefly Outdoor + Economics
Project Background
DLNHC’s intent was to understand how well the program has met its goal of helping communities to accommodate and benefit from a diverse population that uses the D&L Trail. This analysis was timed to provide needed insights and programmatic information as DLNHC embarked on an organizational strategic planning process. Cycle Forward and Firefly Outdoor + Economics collaborated to work with DLNHC staff on the evaluation.
The consulting team interviewed current and past staff members, small business representatives, and community leaders. The team also conducted a business survey, completed a Placer.ai analysis, reviewed program materials, and compared the program to other regional Trail Town initiatives. Cycle Forward distilled this information into a 62-page evaluation with 14 recommendations, while Firefly Outdoor + Economic offered the Placer.ai analysis and led the business survey and business focus group portions of the project.
Approach
Cycle Forward sat down with components of the existing program, including the formal designation process, incentive programs for businesses and local residents, the D&L Trail Towns webpage, social media, and more. Amy also conducted several interviews with current and past DLNHC staff and local leaders along the trail. Using survey data from the Trail Towns and Gateway Communities study, Cycle Forward also considered how the D&L Trail Town Process compares to other trail community initiatives across the U.S. and Canada. The project team then scored the program’s performance across five criteria following this outreach and research.
Deliverables
The final deliverable was a 107-page internal program evaluation document.
Impact
The program evaluation report provided the DLNHC with actionable recommendations and a framework for developing a D&L Trail Towns Strategic Plan. The Economic Development Manager at DLNHC, Alice Wanamaker, expressed excitement about moving forward with the program and even named Cycle Forward an honorary D&L Trail-Friendly Business!
