
During the spring and summer of 2023, PEC – along with consultant Michael Baker International, Inc. (MBI) and partners at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia – conducted an exploratory study for the Liberty Bell Trail from the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown to Parkside Place in Upper Gwynedd.

This “Southern Connection” of the Liberty Bell Trail is a trail segment PEC has been interested in moving forward since the release of our Gap Analysis of the Circuit Trails network. The 8-mile Southern Connection ranks as the number one segment in the entire system in terms of potential impact to communities along the corridor if constructed. It also links directly into the northern Montgomery County section of the Liberty Bell Trail, for which PEC worked with eight municipalities, the Montgomery County Planning Commission, and consultant MBI to conduct a feasibility study in 2021-22. Learn more about that study here.
Stretching from the Schuylkill River Trail in downtown Norristown through the Norristown Farm Park, East Norriton, Worcester, Whitpain, and into Parkside Place in Upper Gwynedd, the southern portion of the LBT will be a major recreation and transportation corridor for the area. The trail will link residents and visitors alike to downtown centers; residential neighborhoods; parks, libraries, and schools; natural areas and open spaces; transportation hubs; and much, much more.
Regionally, the LBT will intersect with the Powerline Trail in Upper Gwynedd, which is currently under construction and moves from east to west across Montgomery County and beyond. The Powerline Trail will provide residents with access to Evansburg State Park, as well as Bucks County to the northeast. To the south, in Norristown, the LBT will terminate near Trail Junction along the Schuylkill River Trail, creating connections with Center City Philadelphia, Valley Forge, and beyond!
After the completion of the Technical Memo this past August, PEC worked with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and the Montgomery County Planning Commission (MCPC) to update the official alignment of the Liberty Bell Trail to match the recommendation from our study. This resulted immediately in 1.2 miles of existing trail being added to the Circuit Trails through the gorgeous and historical Norristown Farm Park.
Now that the alignment has been updated to one that is feasible for development, PEC is working with the municipalities along the corridor to move sections of the Liberty Bell Trail toward engineering and design, beginning with completing the gaps between existing sections of the trail along North Wales Road.
To learn more about the Liberty Bell Trail in general, visit our webpage devoted to the LBT. For more information about the Southern Connection in particular, check out the Technical Memo MBI produced detailing our recommendations for municipalities along the trail corridor.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to Zhenya “Z” Nalywayko with any specific questions– and of course make sure to contact your local elected officials to express your support!