Plans for the development of the D&L Trail, as it passes through North Catasauqua land, are on track for a spring 2017 completion.

A plan to extend the D&L Trail through land in North Catasauqua reached the next step at the Aug. 23 meeting of the borough council.

Local development of the trail involves the acquisition of grant funding as well as cooperative agreements and efforts between Northampton and North Catasauqua boroughs.

The North Catasauqua council authorized council President Peter Paone to sign a memorandum of understanding and an intergovernmental agreement at the council meeting last week. The approval was unanimous.

Northampton Borough Council, at its Aug. 18 meeting, approved documents detailing the trail design.

A pedestrian bridge across Dry Run Creek in Northampton will act as the connector between the existing Nor-Bath Trail and the D&L Trail in North Catasauqua. It was reported at the Northampton meeting the bridge project will be put out for bids in September, the contract awarded in October and the final design completed in November.

Scott Everett, D&L Trail manager, who has been coordinating the development of the trail, outlined the progress being made for the proposed trail extension and the next steps.

When Everett had attended the May 12 North Catasauqua council meeting, he reported the borough had received a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant in the amount of $190,000 and a Northampton County Open Space Grant of $100,000.

The borough was directed at that time to send a letter to Northampton County Open Space Coordinator Brian Cope, asking for guidance about how to handle and use the payment of funds.

“We did send a letter to Brian Cope at Northampton County Open Space,” Paone told The Press this week. “I received a letter back, and I have since had discussions with both Mr. Cope and Mr. Everett.”

The memorandum of understanding, approved by both councils, outlined how the funds would be divided and used by each of the municipalities. The intergovernmental agree is a state-required document.

“My understanding is that Northampton Borough will be putting out for bid some of the work on the trail to be started this fall,” Paone said. “North Catasauqua will be putting out for bid later this year some additional work to be completed in the spring, which will be reimbursed through the grants.”

When all segments of the trail are completed, the historic trail, used for walking, hiking, roller blading and bicycling, will follow along the paths of canals that once connected Wilkes-Barre and Philadelphia.