Army Corps announces temporary trail closure along Chesapeake & Delaware Canal

PHILADELPHIA (May 28, 2026) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District announced portions of the Michael N. Castle Trail along the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal will be closed from June 1st to June 4th. The closure will enable the Army Corps’ contractor to make repairs to the ramp over the dredging pipe that is temporarily in place and to adjust barriers.

These temporary closures are part of current operations to dredge the Delaware River federal channel and place dredged sediment at the Delaware City Dredged Material Placement facility. As part of this work, USACE’s contractor placed a dredge pipe and erected a ramp across the trail near the southern end of the branch canal. At the end of dredging operations (currently estimated to conclude in August 2026), the contractor will again close this portion of the trail to remove the ramp and pipe.  

The USACE Philadelphia District maintains more than 500 miles of navigation channels in the region, including the C&D Canal and the approximate 100-mile channel from Philadelphia to the Sea. Dredging projects and their associated placement areas, such as the Delaware City Dredged Material Placement Area, are a critical part of maintaining the authorized depth of those navigation channels and essential for maritime commerce, and the supply chain of the region.