March 26, 2019—New Jersey Future has named the Lawrence Hopewell Trail a winner of its 2019 Smart Growth Awards competition, recognizing the 22-mile LHT for its success at providing a new, safe, and environmentally sound means of transportation between communities, businesses, and public spaces in the region.
The Smart Growth Awards highlight and honor projects that represent the best examples of sustainable growth and development in New Jersey.
The LHT won the prestigious award for its grass-roots-driven effort to provide a means of connecting to communities, businesses, and public spaces throughout the region without an automobile. It makes bicycling and walking safe, convenient, fun, and immensely practical transportation choices, and creates multiple recreation opportunities and commuting alternatives for area residents.
The LHT, which attracts about 400,000 users per year, does not own any section of the trail itself. Instead it formed partnerships with and between numerous public and private entities that own land on which the trail was envisioned. Businesses, educational institutions, state and local government agencies, and private landowners all collaborated to make the trail available to the public as part of their commitment to our community.
“We’re honored to be the recipient of one of the most coveted awards in New Jersey,” said Becky Taylor, founder and co-president of the LHT. “This award is really for the community that has made the LHT possible—the current and past members of our board, the elected and career officials in both towns and at the county, and the many people who support the LHT as volunteers or donors.”
“The best part is that the idea behind the LHT can be replicated anywhere,” added Taylor. “We hope that this award will generate interest in creating such trails throughout New Jersey.”
“We thank New Jersey Future for recognizing this unique collaboration that resulted in a wonderful, practical, and sustainable amenity,” said co-president Eleanor Horne. “It is such a joy seeing people on the LHT—especially families and children who will grow up with the trail.”
About the Lawrence Hopewell Trail
The Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) is a 22+ mile bicycle and pedestrian trail and transportation corridor through public and private land in Lawrence and Hopewell Townships in Mercer County, N.J. The LHT supports an active, livable and sustainable community with alternative forms of transportation to reduce the reliance on automobiles. It also promotes health and fitness, recreation and outdoor education. The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation is a nonprofit organization that depends on the community for support. It is not supported by local tax dollars. The LHT is a key member of the Circuit Trails, an 850-mile network of bicycle and pedestrian trails connecting people to jobs, communities, and parks in the Greater Philadelphia Region. For more information about the LHT, please visit www.lhtrail.org
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For media inquiries, please contact LHT Co-President Becky Taylor at 609.240.6886 or becky@btaylorpa.com or LHT Co-President Eleanor Horne at 609.895.0813 or evhorne@gmail.com
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