What can you buy for $22 Million?

The Complete the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) campaign is working to raise public awareness about the need for federal, state and local dollars to complete the SRT in the Greater Philadelphia region. There are nine trail segments that need funding in order to complete the trail, and together the total construction cost is estimated to be approximately $22 million.


Is $22 million a lot of money to build 4.75 miles of trail? In comparison to a sampling of some other transportation projects that have been submitted to Congress for consideration for federal transportation funds or are receiving federal stimulus funds, Completing the Schuylkill River Trail in the greater Philadelphia region is a bargain.

• $115 Million to enhance the streetscape of Broad Street (submitted to Congressman Brady by the Center City Collaborative as a 2010 Appropriation request)
• $90.4 Million to reconstruct and widen Route 202 between Route 30 and North Valley Road (submitted to Congressman Gerlach by the Town of Malvern)
• $31 Million for an I-95 Interchange at Cottman-Princeton (a City of Philadelphia project with PennDOT Stimulus funding)
• $21.4 Million to build a parking garage (submitted to Congressman Fattah by the Free Library of Philadelphia)