LACKAWANNA GREENWAY ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Lackawanna County, PA
Urban Partners assisted the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority as part of a multi-disciplinary team to prepare the Lackawanna Greenway Plan. Centered on the Lackawanna River and adjacent Lackawanna River Heritage Trail (LRHT ), the Lackawanna Greenway extends from Forest City in Susquehanna County to Pittston in Luzerne County, connecting two sections of the Susquehanna Greenway. The effect of the Lackawanna Greenway on
Northeastern Pennsylvania’s regional economy is a primary consideration regarding its overall feasibility.
Urban Partners’ role in the project was to conduct the financial assessment of the Lackawanna Greenway and Trail, which consisted of a market analysis, economic development analysis, and economic impact analysis. For the market analysis, Urban Partners examined the usage of all recreational resources in the Greenway area, including the LRHT, and identified the Greenway’s market capture.
For the economic development component of the proposed
Lackawanna Greenway Plan, Urban Partners examined existing Lackawanna Greenway/LRHT-related commercial development as a means for determining the potential opportunities for expanding Greenway/LRHT user services and amenities throughout the region, particularly hotels and retailers. We also identified preferred locations for these new amenities based on areas of high recreational usage and low supply of existing services.
Finally, Urban Partners prepared the economic impact analysis for the Lackawanna Greenway Plan to assess the current and future impact of the Greenway and LRHT facilities on the economy of the greater Greenway area in terms of spending on trail-related goods and services. The assessment was completed for all Greenway recreational activities and examined the level of attendance/visitation
of these facilities as well as the dollar amounts spent on specific recreation-related goods and services. Our analysis determined the total annual economic impact of the Lackawanna Greenway to be $78 million.
Urban Partners has recently been asked by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority to update our analysis.
