You are viewing all posts
Calling all Burlington County Residents!
Burlington County has the opportunity to build out several miles of Circuit trails including the Delaware River Heritage Trail, Kinkora Trail and the Rancocas Creek Trail – but they need YOU for support! Next Wednesday (6/24), Burlington County Freeholders are holding a board meeting and will consider adjusting its Open Space tax rate as part of the budget process. Please join us and speak in support of greater investment for trails and parks!
---
Your presence is needed to support increased county investment in Burlington County trails and parks!
Wednesday, June 24, 2015, 7:00 PM
Burlington County Freeholders are holding a board meeting on Wednesday, June 24 and will consider adjusting its Open Space tax rate as part of the budget process. In 2013, Burlington County rolled back the tax from four cents to 1.5 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value. We’ve heard that the Freeholders are considering restoring the tax rate to four cents.
Burlington County has the opportunity to build out many miles of the following trails.
- Delaware River Heritage Trail
- Kinkora Trail
- Rancocas Creek Trail
According to a new Circuit public opinion poll, those surveyed from Burlington County demonstrated that they are in favor of more trails. The survey found:
- 69% of Burlington County residents would like to have access to a trail, or to more trails within 10 minutes of their home
- 86% support the construction of new trails in Burlington County
- 72% of Burlington County residents support spending $2 of tax dollars per person per year to add 64 miles of trails in Burlington County to the 750 mile Circuit regional trail network.
- 77% of Burlington County residents have used a trail for recreation or transportation within the Delaware Valley
The County is on a roll with new parks and trails being planned and opened. Increasing their investment will help keep up the momentum. Please attend the Burlington County Chosen Freeholders Board meeting and speak in support of greater investment for trails and parks!
Wednesday, June 24, 2015, 7:00 PM
County Administration Building
3rd Floor, COURTROOM 1
49 Rancocas Road
Mt. Holly, NJ 08060
Connectthecircuit.org
Celebrate Dad on the Circuit!
In celebration of National Trails Month and Father’s Day, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council is teaming up with Kidical Mass to host a Father’s Day free family fun ride on the Circuit! This event is perfect for families who love to get active and is a great opportunity to explore some of Southwest Philly’s great trail infrastructure by bike. The Family Fun ride will travel from Clark Park along the Circuit’s own 58th Street Greenway, ending at Bartram’s Gardens where there will be plenty of fun activities for kids, adults and parents. Participants also have the opportunity to check out Bartram’s Gardens brand new community boathouse on the Schuylkill River. Hope to see you out #onthecircuit this Father’s Day!
For more information and to register, click here.
Get Your Tail on the Trail Program Wins National Recognition
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, a proud member of the Circuit Coalition, received national recognition at the 2015 International Trails Symposium hosted by American Trails for the Get Your Tail on the Trail program! They won the “Trails for Health Award,” recognizing their commitment to improving access to trails and promoting their use and importance for increasing physical activity. A truly remarkable program, Get Your Tail on the Trail is a community-based initiative geared toward promoting outdoor fitness activities in a fun, family environment.
Launched in May 2013, the initial 165-mile challenge aimed to engage 250 people in the program. Little did they know that in the first six months of the program, 2,455 people would have signed up and logged 255,392 miles. Today, Get Your Tail on the Trail has 4,870 participants who have logged 1,124,295.62 miles.
A model of collaboration, the program was created in 2013 by Elissa Garofalo, Executive Director of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Dr. Bonnie Coyle, St. Luke’s Director of Community Health and Kenneth Szydlow, Vice President of Marketing for St. Luke’s University Network. The program aims to expose families to outstanding opportunities along the D&L Trail while improving health awareness, providing nutrition and exercise programs, and promoting a culture of personal wellness and a sense of community built around the trail.
Congratulations on a well-deserved award!
Paoli Pike Trail Open House and Project Presentation Set for June 16
On Tuesday, June 16 area trail users are invited to participate in the planning of a multiuse, off-road trail spanning the East Goshen Township along Paoli Pike. The trail was recommended in the 2013 Chester County Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation Plan (see here). There is hope that this will be the first step in an off-road trail linking West Chester, Malvern and Paoli, so come out and join us!
Beginning at 6:00 p.m., the township's consultants, McMahon Associations, will present for comment a preferred alignment and general design at the township building (located at 1580 Paoli Pike). Following the Open House, there will be another presentation during the Board of Supervisors meeting at 7:00 p.m.
A public comment period on the Trail Conceptual Plan is scheduled in September. The Feasibility and Master Plan project is scheduled for completion in December. It is anticipated the township will apply for grants in 2016 to fund the next steps in creating the trail.
What's on Deck for the Circuit
Based upon a review of the status of Circuit trail projects in the nine counties, we are able to update the estimated completion dates of twenty-six trail projects and four on-road bike lane projects that are likely to occur over the next 24 months. There are roughly 30 miles of trails and 15 miles of bike lanes expected to be added over the next two years. Many exciting trail projects that everyone has long been waiting for are on this list!
|
Project Title |
Type |
Mileage |
County |
ESTIMATED Completion date |
|
Delaware Avenue Extension |
Paved Trail |
0.6 |
Phila |
Fall 2015 |
|
Green Lane Connector |
Paved Trail/Sidepath |
0.1 |
Bucks |
Fall 2015 |
|
Newtown Square Trail |
Trail |
0.9 |
Delaware |
Fall 2015 |
|
Darby Creek Stream Valley Park |
Paved Trail |
1.2 |
Delaware |
Fall 2015 |
|
Tinicum Route 291 ECG |
Trail/Sidepath |
0.5 |
Delaware |
Fall 2015 |
|
Pennypack Trail - Route 63 to Byberry Road |
Stone Dust Trail |
3 |
Montco |
Fall 2015 |
|
Cobbs Creek Segment A |
PavedTrail |
1 |
Phila |
Spring 2016 |
|
Manayunk Bridge |
Paved Trail/Bridge |
0.6 |
Phila |
Spring 2016 |
|
Pennypack Trail - Crossing of Frankford Ave |
2-Way Protected Bike Lane |
0.05 |
Phila |
Spring 2016 |
|
Marcus Hook ECG |
Bike Lanes |
1 |
Delaware |
Spring 2016 |
|
Betzwood Bridge |
Bridge |
0.5 |
Montco |
Spring 2016 |
|
Big Woods Trail |
Stone Dust Trail |
2 |
Berks |
Spring 2016 |
|
Kinkora Trail |
Trail/Sidepath |
3 |
Burlington |
Spring 2016 |
|
Lawrence Hopewell Trail - Carter Road Section |
Trail |
2 |
Mercer |
Spring 2016 |
|
Chester Creek Trail |
Paved Trail |
2 |
Delaware |
Summer 2016 |
|
SRT Pottstown - Phase 1 |
Trail |
1.5 |
Montco |
Summer 2016 |
|
Tookany Creek |
Paved Trail |
0.5 |
Montco |
Summer 2016 |
|
Bartram's Mile |
PavedTrail |
1.25 |
Phila |
Fall 2016 |
|
Baxter Trail |
Paved Trail |
1.75 |
Phila |
Fall 2016 |
|
K&T Trail |
Paved Trail |
1.8 |
Phila |
Fall 2016 |
|
SRT - South St to Christian |
Paved Trail |
0.3 |
Phila |
Fall 2016 |
|
Tyburn Road Underpass |
Trail |
0.2 |
Bucks |
Fall 2016 |
|
Del Rvr Heritage Trail |
Trail/Sidepath |
5 |
Burlington |
Fall 2016 |
|
Gray's Ferry Swing Bridge |
Bridge |
0.75 |
Phila |
Spring 2017 |
|
Lindberg Blvd - 84th St to John Heinz |
Paved Trail/Sidepath |
0.5 |
Phila |
Spring 2017 |
|
Ben Franklin Bridge Ramp |
Bridge |
0.3 |
Camden |
Spring 2017 |
|
Delaware River Waterfront Trail - Washington Ave to Pier 70 |
Trail Improvement |
0.5 |
Phila |
Spring 2017 |
|
TOTAL TRAIL MILEAGE |
32.3 |
|||
|
Tuckahoe Road Bike Lanes - Monroe Twp to Route 40 |
Bike Lanes |
10 |
Gloucester |
Fall 2015 |
|
Camden/North Camden Waterfront Bike Facilities |
Bike Lanes |
1.6 |
Camden |
Fall 2015 |
|
Camden/North Camden Waterfront Bike Facilities |
Sharrows |
2 |
Camden |
Fall 2015 |
|
North Park Drive Bike Lanes (Part of the Circuit) |
Bike Lanes |
1.6 |
Camden |
Summer 2016 |
|
TOTAL BIKE LANE MILEAGE |
15.2 |
Circuit Trail Segments Poised For the PA TIP
Since May 2014, the PA counties have been working to strategically prioritize segments of the Circuit. As a result of this work, a number of these projects are being nominated to receive Regional Trail Program funding for design and engineering, construction, or additional study. The nominations will be up for approval at the June 2015 DVRPC Board meeting. If approved, this phase will distribute almost $1.4 million in funding.
The PA counties have also sought to identify projects that could be placed on the PA Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which is the 5 counties' transportation capital budget program. An action will be introduced at the June 2015 Board meeting to create a Circuit line item on the TIP. Seven high-priority trail projects deemed ready for design have been identified for inclusion in this line item.
The DVRPC Board is poised to dedicate $5 M of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds to that line item for the construction of the projects. Identified projects will be eligible to use those funds for construction. They will also work through the PennDOT process during design, making them well-positioned to compete for future federal construction funding sources.
In addition, six of the seven projects in the line item will receive Regional Trails Program funding to pay for design and engineering. Finally, it should be noted that approximately $9.5 million in construction funds are already programmed for the Chester Valley Trail Extension. This project is included among the seven because it has been nominated to receive supplemental funding for design and engineering from the Regional Trails Program.
The PA Circuit TIP Projects will be:
Philadelphia - 1) Pennypack Trail - State & Rhawn Crossing
2) Cobbs Creek Segment D– 84th Street to entrance of John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge along Lindberg Blvd.
3) Spring Garden Street Greenway - Final Preliminary Design
Montco - 4) Chester Valley Trail Extension
5) Pennypack Trail - Byberry Road to County Line Road
Bucks - 6) Newtown Branch (Southampton section)
7) Bridge Street Crossing – D&L Canal Towpath
The following projects will receive Regional Trail Program Round 2 funds for construction or study, but will not be placed onto the TIP:
- Chester - Chester Valley Trail Phase 4A (construction)
- Schuylkill RIver Trail - 422 to Moser Rd (construction)
- Frankford Greenway (alignment analysis study)
- Cross County Trail (alignment analysis study)
Recap of the 2015 May Semi-Annual Circuit Coalition Meeting
On May 21, 2015, 48 members of the Circuit Coalition attended the semi-annual meeting in Cherry Hill, New Jersey at the Camden County Environmental Resource Center.
Chris Linn of Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission opened the meeting by giving an overview of the status of the Circuit and an update on the Regional Trails Program Round 2 as of May 2015. Chris reported that between May 2014 and May 2015, the Circuit added 6.5 miles and improved 1.4 miles of trails. Round 2 of the Regional Trail Program, which is $6.5 million, will provide $2.15 M to the four New Jersey counties, of which $1.5 M will be dedicted to trails in urban areas and $610,000 unrestricted. It will also provide $4.35 M in the five Pennsylvania counties, of which $3.1 M will be dedicated to urban areas and $1.25 unrestricted.
He also provided an update on Pennsylvania trail projects will be receiving some of the RTP funding this summer and which ones will be moved onto the TIP and be eligible for federal funds. Shawn Megill Legendre presented about the NJ projects. More about this effort will follow in a future blog post.
Sarah Clark Stuart provided an update on which trail projects are likely to be completed over the next 18 months (by December 2016.) It includes about 27 projects that will be adding over 30 miles of new trails throughout the 9 counties. Sarah presented on the new projects that will be coming online in Pennsylvania. Matt Norris presented on the projects that will be coming online in New Jersey. A table of all complete and anticipated projects is here.
Sarah also presented on a telephone survey on Circuit awareness recently conducted by Rails to Trails Conservancy and one a separate survey conducted on depth of support for public investment in Circuit trails projects.
Nick Rogers of the Clean Air Council provided an overview of a new multimodal transportation route planner website developed in conjunction with Azevea. The website, called GoPhillyGo.org is in beta mode and users are welcome to check in out and provide feedback.
Christine Reimert of Devine & Partners reported on the ongoing effort being led by D&P and Rails to Trails Conservancy to increase the profile of the Circuit brand and described the Summer 2015 plans and activities. One item of note is that they have prepared a new postcard to garner public support for connecting the Circuit. These postcards are designed for tabling events and can be used to ask people to provide their names and email addresses. If you would like to have postcards mailed to you, please send an email to
To wrap up, Matt Norris presented two out of four videos that Tri-State Transportation Campaign has prepared on the Circuit. The four videos are: The Circuit - What Is It?; The Circuit - A Community Place; The Circuit - Getting There and The Circuit - It's Happening
NATIONAL TRAILS MONTH IS HERE
June is National Trails Month and there is perhaps no other place that’s better equipped to make the most of it than the greater Philadelphia region #onthecircuit. Organizations like the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Friends of the Delaware Canal, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Friends of the Chester Valley Trail, Bartram's Garnden, the Schuylkill Center for Education and more are hosting rides, walks and events on the Circuit throughout the month of June in celebration. The month offers activities for community members, families and friends of all ages and experience levels – not just avid cyclists and runners. There will be bird watching, volunteering opportunities, a barbeque, art viewing and even an overnight camping event – among the bike rides, runs and walks. See the events page (click here) for a full list of activities. Get #onthecircuit in June!!
Lawrence Hopewell Trail Urges Bike to Work Day
Calling all Mercer County residents! The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Board of Trustees is urging workers to leave their car keys at home tomorrow in recognition of national Bike to Work Day; and instead hop on their bikes to commute to work. Trustees of the 22+ mile cycling and walking loop through Hopewell and Lawrence Townships ask their neighbors to consider alternative transportation to work.
That’s not all they are asking! Bicyle enthusiasts are encouraged to do one more thing: take a selfie and share it with others (while being safe!). Ways to share your photos:
- Post to the trail Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LHTrail
- Text it to 609.731.2195 or email it to and the LHT Trail will share
Don’t forget to use the hashtag #Onthecircuit if you take the trails to work and share photos!
DVRPC Shares Data, Revealing Which Philly Streets Cyclists Use Most
CyclePhilly – an app produced by Code for Philly, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, DVRPC, Septa and the City of Philadelphia – logs voluntarily-shared cyclist trip data. DVRPC recently released six months of that data, revealing which routes cyclists like best. The data was gathered from 220 unique CyclePhilly users and 8,340 individual trips.
Some highlights include:
| Activity | Number of Trips | Top Philly Street |
| Total Trips | 866 | Spring Garden, between 9th & 10th |
| Commuting | 672 | Spring Garden, between 6th & 7th |
| Doing Errands | 68 | Pine, between 15th & 17th |
| Exercise | 65 | Schuylkill River Trail, between Art Museum & 25th |
| Social | 99 | Spring Garden, between 9th & 10th |
Read the full article on Plan Philly here to learn more about the app and what’s in store for the future of biking in Philadelphia: http://planphilly.com/articles/2015/05/06/dvrpc-releases-new-cyclephilly-data-on-which-streets-cyclists-use-most
National Bike Month Calls for Bike To Work Day!
May is Bike Month and to celebrate, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is hosting their 20th Annual Bike to Work Day Friday, May 15. The Bike Coalition is dedicated to making 2015’s Bike to Work Day the biggest ever, complete with six energizer stations (more details below) with free swag, including Kind bars and Peet's Coffee. Stations will be located conveniently around the city. Later in the afternoon, there will be a Happy Hour at Yards Brewery with half-priced drafts!
So, what can you do to participate? Pledge to bike to work by registering or signing up to volunteer! Then download the Bike to Work poster, print it, and share it with your colleagues at work.
See additional details below. We look forward to seeing you!
AM Energizing Stations from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- LOVE Park
- Clark Park
- The Penn Museum
- 13th and Spruce Streets
PM Energizing Stations and community events from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Chew Playground (18th and Washington)
- 44th and Walnut
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Great volunteer opportunity with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and Cadence Youth Cycling! Details included below. Email [email protected] if interested!
- - -
When: Saturday, May 9 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (volunteer training session from 8:30-9:00 a.m.)
Where: Schuylkill River Trail (between the Water Works and East Falls)
What: High school cyclists will be engaging in a scavenger hunt competition along the Schuylkill River Trail (between Water Works and East Falls). The cyclists will stop along the route to complete challenges. Volunteers are needed to run these challenge stops. The volunteers will provide some quick info about watersheds or the Circuit trail network and then lead the students in a fun challenge (i.e. wheelbarrow race, etc.). Volunteers will need to keep track of each team’s points. Volunteers should arrive via bike in order to reach their challenge locations.
BONUS: A free lunch from Cosmic Cafe will be provided at noon. No experience necessary!
Join Rails-to-Trails and Cadence Youth Cycling #onthecircuit
What is the Circuit?
Ever wondered what the Circuit is exactly? Look no further. Watch Matt Norris, South Jersey Coordinator of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign give the scoop below.
The Circuit is Social!
We are very excited to announce that the Circuit is ramping up on social media, across Facebook (TheCircuitTrails), Twitter (@circuittrails) and Instagram (thecircuittrails). Like and follow us for regional updates, events and news from the Circuit trails and parks. We love to see community members’ activity and participation on the Circuit, so please be sure to share your experiences using the hashtag #onthecircuit!
Phoenixville Community Celebration On SRT Trail: April 25
Calling all Phoenixville-area community members! This weekend, you are invited to head downtown to for a whole host of family fun events on and around the new two-mile trail segment of the Schuylkill River Trail. Activities include everything from a bike tour along the new trail, a bike check and a complementary bike helmet fitting station to live music, chalk and plein air art (painting outdoors!) and more. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. near the Walking Bridge at the Foundry and the Phoenixville Farmer’s Market. For more information, visit http://www.schuylkillrivertowns.com/new-events/2015/4/25/phoenixville-trail-opening-celebration.
EAST COAST GREENWAY TO CELEBRATE PHILADELPHIA’S LEADERSHIP IN TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AT SPRING SUMMIT: MAY 1
Philadelphia is the hosting the East Coast Greenway’s State of the Greenway Summit on Friday, May 1! The Summit, held at Lloyd Hall, 1 Boathouse Row, will celebrate Philadelphia as a leader in trail development, as well as several new world-class sections of the East Coast Greenway (ECG) here in the City.
The Summit will feature special remarks from regional and national bike-ped and transportation leaders, including:
- Leslie Richards, Secretary, PennDOT
- Mark Focht, Deputy Commissioner, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
- Diane Ellis-Marseglio, Commissioner, DVRPC
- Dennis Markatos-Soriano, executive director, East Coast Greenway Alliance
- Alex Doty, executive director, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
- Andrew Johnson, Watershed Protection Program Director, William Penn Foundation
- Meg Daly, founder, Friends of the Underline
When completed, the 2,900-mile greenway, which connects with the region’s Circuit trails, will link Philadelphia to major cities throughout the eastern seaboard. In PA, a car-free, 55-mile route runs from Trenton, N.J. to Wilmington, Del., through Center City Philadelphia.
Get your tickets today! Be sure to wear comfortable shoes to the Summit and take part in a walk along the Schuylkill River Trail to a reception at the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk after the Summit. The Summit and reception are open to the public; registration is $10 for ECGA members and $20 for non-members. To learn more or purchase tickets visit greenway.org.
Summit: 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Ride/Walk to reception: 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Reception at Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Phoenixville Trail Opens Connecting More Than 60 Miles of Completed Schuylkill River Trail
The official opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of the new two-mile segment of the Schuylkill River Trail in Phoenixville is today, representing another significant step forward in the continued development of the Circuit. If you're in the neighborhood around 4 p.m., join us for the festivities! The ribbon cutting will take place at the Walking Bridge at the Foundry located at 2 N. Main Street in Phoenixville. Immediately following the ribbon cutting ceremony, participants in the Sly Fox Brewing Co. "SRT Spree" will kayak from Riverfront Park to Lock 60 then bike to the new trail head to demonstrate how easy it is to transition from river to trail (read more about the Sly Fox Brewing Co. "SRT Spree" here).
The newly developed Phoenixville trail is a recreation and transportation path for cyclists, runners and pedestrians, connecting the local community to the riverfront and neighboring towns. As a key link in the region's trail network, the new segment closes what has been viewed as a high-priority gap in the Schuylkill River Trail, connecting the Phoenixville Borough to over 60 miles of finished trail, including a 26-mile stretch from Philadelphia to Phoenixville. When fully complete, the Schuylkill River Trail will total approximately 130 miles from Philadelphia to Pottsville, comprising a large segment of the Circuit, which will ultimately include 750 miles of multi-use trails through greater Philadelphia and South Jersey.
Funding for the Phoenixville segment of the Schuylkill River Trail was provided by the William Penn Foundation, through the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), and The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area managed by the Schuylkill River Greenway Association. The Phoenixville segment was designed by Ray Ott and Associates and Campbell Thomas & Company and constructed by the Borough’s Public Works Department.
Sly Fox Brewing Co. Releases New Ale in Celebration of the “SRT Spree”
Here’s a great way to start your weekend… today marks day 2 of the Sly Fox Brewing Co.’s SRT Spree, a week-long celebration of the recreational opportunities along the SRT or Schuylkill River Trail from Pottsville to Philadelphia. The Sly Fox launch team is traveling the trail via various methods such as hiking, biking, kayaking, horseback and more. Each day of the journey, the team is making stops to take part in efforts, such as trail clean-ups, to help build awareness and appreciation for the trail. Community members are encouraged to travel along any segment of the SRT Spree journey and to participate in any of the volunteer clean-up locations.
One stop is particularly important, as a critical two-mile segment of the Schuylkill River Trail is opening in Phoenixville on Monday, April 20 with a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. On Monday, “Spree” participants will kayak from Riverfront Park to Lock 60 then bike to the trail head to demonstrate how easy it is to transition from river to trail.
Additionally, Sly Fox Brewing Co. has joined forces with the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area for the release of its newest canned beer, SRT Ale, which will hit the market appropriately on Earth Day, April 22, the final day of the SRT Spree. Proceeds from the sale of SRT Ale will benefit the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area. For more information on how to get involved, visit www.slyfoxbeer.com/index.php/front/srtspree.
Philly Mag Shares Some of the Region’s Best Running Trails, Including Many on the Circuit
With the iconic Broad Street Run just a few weeks away, Philly Mag shared some of the best running trails and parks in the Philadelphia area and beyond, and several Circuit trails made the recommended list! Trails with spectacular views included the Ben Franklin Bridge, Boxers’ Trail, Cobbs Creek Trail, Cynwyd Heritage Trail, Wissahickon Trail, Tyler State Park, Valley Forge Historic National Park, Schuylkill River Trail, and Cooper River Park. Go to Philly Mag to see the full list of trails and parks to take advantage of while the weather is warming up!
