Sand Island Recreation Area Expansion & Rehabilitation

As part of a multi-phase park expansion and rehabilitation project, ARRO developed a master plan for Sand Island, a 30-acre recreation and manufacturing area located in the City of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  Sand Island is part of the 150-mile Delaware and Lehigh Canal National Heritage Corridor that runs from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol in eastern Pennsylvania.

Surrounded by the Lehigh River, Monocacy Creek, and the Lehigh Canal, Sand Island is near the City’s central business district and served as a focal point for the City’s 250th-anniversary celebration.

ARRO staff evaluated the condition of the existing facilities, and subsequently prepared a plan for future development and implementation of a multi-year improvement program, included associated costs.

Following approval of the master plan by the City’s park and planning staff, ARRO prepared final plans and specifications and provided construction administration for the new structures and the rehabilitation of existing structures, including an ice house constructed of brick and timber, a concrete canal lock, an aqueduct linking the canal and the Lehigh River, two pedestrian bridges, a clubhouse, and public restrooms.