On previous editions of Pocono Mountains Magazine, we've shown some of the developments happening along the river, the Lackawaxen River, and now there's been an effort to develop streetscapes, projects on Main Street and the 12th Street Promenade to increase accessibility, safety and pedestrian access for so many people who live here and who want to visit here.

So let's check out what's happening here in the next couple of years in downtown Honesdale.

The history in Honesdale is something special. Home of the first locomotive to run on rails, the Stourbridge Lion. Before that, the Delaware and Hudson Canal began here taking coal to New York City. And today, an excursion train is on track. The Stourbridge Line brings passengers from all over.

There's restaurants and shops, vibrant community hubs like The Cooperage, banks and historic architecture, pristine parks, and the Lackawaxen River runs right through Honesdale.

So does Route 6. The two intersect right here at 12th Street, soon to be home to the 12th Street Promenade, a new park connecting a new trail, park and boat launch downriver with Main Street.

"It's really wonderful for us as a business, because I think there's a few things we think about being in Honesdale," said Todd Stephens of Stephens Pharmacy. "Number one, we want to make sure the town is safe for everyone who travels through it. So revitalizing not only the walkways and the trails, but also the Main Street streetscapes is really going to improve not only the safety for everyone, but also the flow."

Stephens Pharmacy, a family-run business, has been in town more than three decades. The second generation, just like their dad who started the pharmacy, is eager to see Honesdale make progress.

"Not only is Honesdale a great place to be in business, but it's also a destination," Stephens said. "People like to come here. I used to talk to friends years and years ago and say, I'm from Honesdale. No one really knew where that was. Now, I mention it to people from out of town and they say, 'Oh, it's such a great place. I'd love to travel there. I saw it on TV. I know this business is there. I know this is a great place to water ski, snow ski, etc.' People want to come here."

Years of planning and securing grant money from the state is finally paying off for Honesdale, starting with the 12th Street Promenade.

The one-block park on the river is designed to be a place for events, festivals and connections, community and spur economic growth, as well as make it safe to get around on foot.

"Pedestrians first. That's how we came at this," said Jayson Wood of Woodland Design Associates. "Gathering being the highest priority use of the space for all the businesses really. And then you bring people downtown. It's just cyclical, right? You bolster business because you bring more people downtown, they spend more money and it just keeps spinning."

And this one-block, $1 million project is only the beginning for Honesdale's improvements. New sidewalks, crosswalks, street lights and more are coming to Main Street. Eight blocks of safety improvements and traffic-calming measures to make it more accessible and more inviting to visit, invest or even call this home.

The Greater Honesdale Partnership has been leading the way on modernizing the infrastructure in town while maintaining Honesdale's historic charm.

"This is going to bring people to town as you drive through because Route 6 is a thruway," said Sandi Levens of the Greater Honesdale Partnership. "But we're hoping that as people are driving through and see this entryway, beautiful scenic area to stop and enjoy the river, that next time they come through, they'll stop, they'll stop and shop, they'll stop and eat, and then eventually a destination."

Millions of dollars in funding for the future streetscape improvements have been secured thanks to a strong collaboration with state lawmakers, the borough, many community organizations and residents who see a future in making Honesdale safer, walkable and more welcoming.

"This is the purest form of revitalization," Wood said. "We are giving people so many reasons to come to Honesdale and now so many reasons to come to downtown and connect with the river. I mean, it's gorgeous."

Honesdale has had its fair share of buzz, coined "the little Poconos town that accidentally got cool" by Philadelphia Magazine. New businesses in town and murals, festivals and outdoor recreation all around.

And now, planned for the end of Main Street, a 50-room hotel.

"I mean, that's been talked about for decades," Stephens said. "We do have some great properties here, and those are highly utilized, which is terrific. And I think it's a great compliment to have something of that size where I know there are a lot of venues in the area for weddings and special events."

Special events for a special place situated in the Pocono Mountains.

With a rich history, and thanks to planning and collaboration and significant funding, a safer and more vibrant future in Honesdale.