August was a great month for trails in the Greater Philadelphia region. With financial support from the William Penn Foundation, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) awarded 12 Regional Trail Program Grants totaling 2 million dollars. Funding these projects will allow for the design and engineering of 12 segments of the Circuit Trails network.
Two of the awarded projects are near and dear to PEC, and we cannot wait for them to get underway! Upper Darby Township in Delaware County received $200,000 for the design and engineering of 0.13 miles of Naylor’s Run Trail, and Bristol Township in Bucks County was awarded $200,000 for the design and engineering of roughly 1.5 miles of the East Coast Greenway. PEC has developed relationships with Upper Darby Township and Bristol Township through the years, and we assist them by building capacity around project management and developing funding applications. The design and engineering of these trails will bring Southeast Pennsylvanians closer to equitable, accessible green spaces and trails.
The Naylor’s Run Trail is in Upper Darby Township along a PECO-owned corridor that runs north to south through the Township. The 2022 Circuit Trails Gap Analysis report highlighted this section of Naylor’s Run Trail as a “high priority” trail segment. Priority segments were ranked based on multiple criteria, including population density, access to public transit and greenspaces, Indicator of Potential Disadvantage (IPD) Score (race, ethnicity, and income only) and others. (To learn more about the Gap Analysis and the methodology behind it, listen to our 2022 podcast conversation with authors Eleanor Horne and Zhenya Nalywayko). Upper Darby is one of the most ethnically diverse and densest communities in the Southeast Philadelphia region.
The $200,000 grant from DVRPC will allow for the design and engineering of a crucial pedestrian bridge over the heavily trafficked Marshall Road, where currently pedestrians must cross at a signalized intersection and crosswalk. The project will also connect to half a mile of previously constructed trail. Design and engineering, funded by the RTP program, will provide 1.2 miles of continuous trail without the need for road crossings. In the future, construction will transform the ability of residents to safely reach necessary destinations including grocery stores, educational institutions, and workplaces. Designing this connection will be a huge step in the completion of the planned 2.25-mile trail — quite literally, bridging a transportation gap!
The $200,000 awarded to Bristol Township will fund the design and engineering of approximately 1.5 miles of the River Road Trail. This portion is a crucial link for trail goers in the Philadelphia region and beyond. The segment will create a safer connection along the 3,000+ mile East Coast Greenway and to the 165-mile Delaware & Lehigh Trail. The segment will span from Old Route 13 in Bristol Borough, down short sections of Veterans Highway, State Road, and run along a PECO right-of-way parallel to River Road until it reaches Keystone Elementary and Croydon Woods Nature Preserve. The River Road Trail will safely link residents to job centers, green spaces like Croydon Woods and Neshaminy Creek State Park, Keystone Elementary School, and its baseball fields and playing areas.
These awards by DVRPC are spearheading the development of miles of trails in the Philadelphia region and getting us even closer to our Circuit Trails Coalition goal of 500 miles by 2025!
Don’t hesitate to reach out to Jordan Linhart with any specific questions — and make sure to contact your local elected officials to express your support!
Once completed, the Circuit Trails will offer more than 800 miles of multi-use trails, providing connections to nature, jobs, and communities. Learn more about the Circuit Trails and how you can enjoy them here.