The Susquehanna Riverwalk Extension plan continues to excite pedestrians and bicyclists.

An easement on the trail recently was approved by the Williamsport City Council.

The Lycoming County Planning Department informed the city there was a previous error in the alignment and council approved a corrected version for an easement on Berger Alley, which will run behind the Domino’s on West Third Street, said Bill Scott, city engineer.

The easement was needed for future grant funds sought by the county, he said.

The extension will run from Maynard Street, behind Pennsylvania College of Technology, and to Third Street and Elm Park. The trail then will go on a spur toward Susquehanna State Park, but also splits to go up Lycoming Creek and into Old Lycoming Township and north, he recently explained.

This trail extension concepts and funding have been essentially non-partisan — with leaders in the Republican and Democratic parties supportive of seeing the extension for several reasons.

The river walk extension project is a county-led project and city officials are enthused about what it brings to the city and region in terms of tourism and healthier lifestyles.

“The City of Williamsport is very excited about the extension eventually connecting Penn College, Elm Park, the Lycoming Creek Bikeway, and Susquehanna State Park for cyclists and pedestrians,” said Scott Williams, city planner and assistant director of the city department of community and economic development.

“It will greatly enhance the existing river walk system as both a nonmotorized transportation route and as a recreation asset,” he said.

Last year, a crowd gathered at New Trail Brewing Co., a craft microbrewery, to celebrate $649,000 in state funding to connect the two trail parts.

During the event, state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration said it was among the nearly $70 million spent on trail projects.

She was met there by Mayor Derek Slaughter, Commissioner Mark Mussina, state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, and state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township.

The riverwalk extension grant is part of the region’s expanding trail system that promotes outdoor recreation and preserves the beauty of the many natural resources.

It is expected to attract more users, foster tourism and drive economic growth — as it is close to city businesses, parks and athletic complexes such as the Williamsport Lumber Yards.

Recently, too, the city noticed an increase in the population of younger people, according to an assessment by Williams to city council.

Many of these people, including families with children – enjoy walking and riding their bikes on the pathway.

That has a definite positive effect on overall health and is promoted by health care providers such as UPMC and Geisinger networks.

The riverwalk runs through Loyalsock Township to the south, over to South Williamsport, up to Old Lycoming Township and parks and points north of the city. Eventually, planners said there will be connectivity to the Pine Creek Trail at Jersey Shore and Pine Creek valley on up to Wellsboro.

The longer goal is to connect Williamsport with Jersey Shore. It will also connect the trail to another in Pine Creek in Clinton County. Phase one is expected to be complete next year.

The completed extension will mean a connection to trails from Lake Ontario south to Maryland.

The walking path also serves as a portion of the levee that protects the city, two townships and one municipality from flooding of the Susquehanna River and its tributaries.

The river walk is a part of the Susquehanna Greenway, which encompasses more than 530 miles of parks, trails and communities that line the river.