You are viewing 11 posts with the tag Delaware River Heritage Trail
Christie Administration Approves More Than $1.1 Million in Recreational Trail Grants
The Circuit Trails are progressing in New Jersey! Last week, the Christie Administration made a significant step for trail development and preservation. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin announced that about $1.1 million in recreational trail grants will be used toward improving trails and enhancing outdoor experiences across the state, including a number of grants for Circuit Trails.
Part of the Recreational Trails Program, the grants aim to improve public access to open space, provide outdoor recreation opportunities, develop trail linkages and create urban and suburban trail corridors.
We’ve compiled a list for you below of the projects that will advance the Circuit, amounting to about $132,000 in Circuit-related grants! To read more about the 2015 trail grants and see the full list of grants, please go to the NJ.gov website.
2015 Approved Recreational Trail Projects on the Circuit Trails:
Burlington County:
Burlington County, Delaware River Heritage Trail: $24,000
Camden County:
Camden County Department of Parks, Grove Street Connector Trail: $24,000
Cooper's Ferry Partnership, Camden-Merchantville Circuit Connector Trail: $24,000
Mercer County:
Hopewell Township, Lawrence Hopewell Trail Hillman and Christensen Segments: $24,000
Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation, Lawrence Hopewell Trail Signage: $24,000
Lawrence Township, Lawrence Hopewell Trail Carson Woods Segment: $12,000
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!
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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
Highlights from the Delaware River Heritage Trail RIbbon Cutting
Burlington County and Bordentown City Officials cut the ribbon on the first segment of the Delaware River Heritage Trail. The on road section of the Delaware River Heritage Trail mainly consists of new sidewalks along with excellent signage and kiosks along the entire 3 mile length. While there is current minimum accommodation for bikes, Burlington County will be installing bike lanes on the southern section of the trail after the road is resurfaced.
Among those present at the Ribbon Cutting included Freeholder Director Joseph Donnelly, Freeholder Aimee Belgard, Bordentown City Mayor Joseph Malone and Bordentown Commissoners James Lynch and Commissioner Zigmont Targonski. Targonski noted that the trailhead is only the first phase of improvements to the Bordentown Beach area, which is mostly an open and dusty parking area for launching boats. Freeholder Donnelly already saw the success of the expanded sidewalks - noting that city residents are utilizing it to access the Acme Supermarket on Route 130 in Bordentown Township.
Kudos to the County's Trail Planner Matt Johnson, Rails to Trails Conservancy's Akram Abed, NJ Conservatoin Foundation Camden Area director Maria Tranguch and Trenton Cycling Revolution's Don Pillsbury for leading cyclists to the event. We especially want to thank the anonymous River LINE operator who held the train to make sure everyone got off safely at Bordentown.
We are looking forward to the county's next projects, which will be to design and build a 2 mile section of the Kinkora Trail - Jobstown (pronounced Jobestown) to Columbus. Other projects in the pipeline include obtaining funding to design and build the first section of the Rancocas Greenway from Delanco RIver Line Station to Bridge St at the Moorestown/Mt. Laurel Border, and looking at alternatives to US 130 for the Delaware River Heritage Trail south of Bordentown. When completed these three trails - The Delaware River Heritage Trail, The Kinkora Trail and Rancocas Greenway - will form a triangle that will serve as the core of the Circuit in Burlington County.
Ribbon cutting was covered by the the Burlington County Times.
Delaware River Heritage Trail Ribbon Cutting and Exploratory Bike Ride Sept. 8th
The new segment stretches from Route 130 in Bordentown Township, through Fieldsboro and Bordentown City and includes new signage, information kiosks, sharrows, sidewalks and bike lanes.
September Events #onthecircuit
Circuit Commitment Campaign Events
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Brandywine Tour - September 1st
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Cooper River - September 7th
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Scenic Schuylkill Century - September 8th
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Chester Valley Trail - September 21st
Circuit Commitment Campaign Talk at TTF Meeting - September 24th
Circuit Postcard Trail Day - Bucks County - September 28th
Circuit Special Events
Delaware River Heritage Trail Ribbon Cutting - September 8th
Delaware River Heritage Ride - September 8th
Cynwyd Heritage Trail Planting Prep - September 14th
Discover the Hidden River at Gray's Ferry Crescent - September 20-22nd
Millennium Bridge Lighting Ceremony on Schuylkill Banks - September 26th
Kayak, Riverboat Tours & Movie Nights
Schuylkill Banks Movie Night - Moonrise Kingdom - September 5th
Secrets of the Schuylkill Riverboat Tour - September 5th
Basic Schuylkill Banks Kayak Tours - September 5th-28th
Schuylkill Riverboat Tour to Bartram's Garden - September 8th
Basic Schuylkill River Kayak Tours - September 8th
Schuylkill Banks Movie Night - Rocky - September 12th
Schuylkill Riverboat to Bartram's Garden - September 14th
Basic Schuylkill Banks Kayak Tour - September 21st
Moonlight Schuylkill Banks Kayak Tour - September 21st
Secrets of the Schuylkill Riverboat Tour - September 21st
Basic Schuylkill Banks Kayak Tour - September 28th
Rides & Walks
Early Bird Rate for Cycles & Cemeteries Ride - September 5th
Delaware River Heritage Trail Ride - September 8th
Cycles and Cemeteries Ride - September 21st
West Laurel Hill Woof Walk - September 21st
Get Your Tail on the Trail - September 28th
Fundraisers
2013 Philly Fun Fishing Fest - September 7th
Trust 5K Walk/Run on the D&L - September 7th
Dance on Falls Bridge - September 7th
Friends of Schuylkill Bank Soiree - September 14th
Conferences & Meetings
2013 Pennsylvania Greenways and Trail Summit - September 15-17th
Cobbs Creek Trail pre-proposal RFP meeting - September 12th
Burlington County Proposes Draconian Cuts To Open Space Program
Tomorrow on June 12th, the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders will hold a hearing and vote on a reduction of the County's Open Space tax. The current 4 cent tax will be cut to 1.5 cents: a 63% reduction from $20M per year to $7.5M per year. The County claims that a $48 million dollar surplus in th program would be enough to continue build out of the County's Master Plan. While the proposal is a "one year cut", it is uncertain that the 4 cent tax rate would ever be restored due to the fact that it could be seen as a 167% tax hike.
65 miles of the Circuit are in Burlington County. Currently only about 6 miles of trail have been completed including a 3 mile section of the Delaware River Heritage Trail that was completed last month. We roughly estimate that it will cost at least $30 million dollars to complete the Circuit in Burlington County.
The Rancocas Greenway is a case in point. The County has spent millions in Open Space Funds acquiring land bordering the Rancocas Creek. Virtually the entire corridor between Delanco and Brendan Byrne State Forest is in Municipal County and State ownership. The opportunity to build the 25 mile multi-use trail is now.
The public hearing will take place Tomorrow,
June 12th - 7PM
Burlington County Offices
49 Rancocas Mount Holly Road
Mount Holly, NJ
The Freeholders are expected to vote on the proposal at the end of the meeting.
Please attend this meeting and ask the Freeholders to preserve the current tax rate and build the 65 miles of Rancocas Greenway, Delaware River Heritage and Kinkora trails.
The Bordentown Trailhead of the Delaware River Heritage Trail was completed late last month.
Signs and Sidewalks on the Delaware River Heritage Trail
Burlington County has nearly completed its first section of the Delaware River Heritage Trail. An on road route along County Road 662 and Farnsworth Ave to the RiverLINE footbridge over Assinpink Creek. The project includes about a mile and half of new sidewalk on both sides of the tiny borough of Fieldsboro connecting with the City of Bordentown.
A new trailhead was completed at Bordentown Beach and signage has been installed. Sharrows modified to reflect the trail logo will be included when the streets are repaved later this year.
Signposts placed at transit stops and landmarks show maps of the trail and provide a historical interpretation of the immediate area. Look for an announcement of a ribbon cutting ceremony for the project in the near future.
Bulls Island Bridge To Close For Construction
The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission has announced that The Lumberville-Raven Rock Pedestrian Bridge is scheduled to be shut down at 7AM on Monday, March 4. The bridge closure is expected to remain in place for at least two months. During the shutdown period, pedestrians and bicyclists are urged to use the Centre Bridge-StocktonBridge ( 3.4 miles to the south) or the Uhlerstown-Frenchtown Bridge (9.2 miles to the north) as alternative river crossing points. The Bulls Island Campground remains closed for 2013 due to storm damage.
The suspension bridge was built in 1947 by John Roebling and Sons. The same firm that designed and built the Brooklyn and Golden Gate bridges. You can learn more about Roebling's legacy at the Roebling Museum, which is located in Roebling, NJ of course and is in line with the future Delaware River Heritage Trail.
The Lumberville - Raven Rock Bridge. Photo credit: mtsofan on Twitter.
Burlington County Bike Plan – Map Your Comments
Burlington County’s Bicycle Master Plan team wants your participation. Following public meetings held in January, Cross County Connection TMA has released an online comment map and survey for you to sound off on where you want bikeways in the county. We want to hear where you want to go, your concerns and suggestions. Both the map and survey can be found on the project homepage:
driveless.com/BurlingtonCountyBikePlan
This is the first ever Bicycle Master Plan for the county, so participation at this stage has a real impact on the plan’s outcome. Help us ensure meaningful access to the Circuit in Burlington County by putting your thoughts on the map.
We would also like to thank everyone that came out to January’s public meetings.
For more information or to submit comments contact:
Graydon Newman, CCCTMA
856-596-8228
Upcoming Burlington County Bike Plan Meeting
Wednesday January 30th 4-7 PM at the Roebling Museum
http://driveless.com/BurlingtonCountyBikeplan
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| Bicyclists boarding the RiverLINE at Beverly Edgewater Park Station |
At the next public meeting in Roebling you can talk to the project team about bicycle corridors, barriers to bicycling and gaps in the existing and proposed county bikeway network:
Wednesday, January 30th, 4PM-7PM,
Roebling Museum, 100 Second Avenue Roebling, NJ
(Adjacent to the Roebling RiverLINE Station)
As a side note, any bridge or engineering fan should check out the Roebling Museum. Although the museum is technically closed until the Spring, you will be able to walk by some of the exhibits to get to the meeting room.
For more informaton on the Burlington County Bicycle Master Plan contact:
Graydon Newman, AICP
[email protected]
856-596-8228
Navigating the Delaware River Heritage Trail Between Trenton and Bordentown
This visual guide to the unsigned tidal section of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Towpath between Trenton and Bordentown, NJ was created by Don Pillsbury from the Trenton Cycling Revolution. This section of the Canal is the northernmost segment of the Delaware River Heritage Trail. You can find the trail on the Circuit Map here.
