Lower Merion's Schuylkill River Trail Connections Move Forward

Two important steps were taken last week in Lower Merion Township that move "Completing the Trail" forward.

 

On January 26, landscape architects Bryan Hanes and Kim Douglas presented final plans for the Cynwyd Trail at a public meeting. The next step for Lower Merion Township is to refine cost estimates for approval by the town's Commissioners. LMT Assistant Director of Building and Planning Chris Leswing expects to break ground on the paved path by the end of the year.

As seen by the drawing, the plans for the Cynwyd Trail include a spur down to the riverfront, which will neatly connect to riverfront trail segment on the O'Neill property that also moved forward lat week.

A couple of days earlier, Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners issued a final decision on O'Neill Property Group's proposed Righter's Ferry project, an 580 apartments + 780  870 parking spaces complex on the 13.8 acre former Connelly Container site on Righter's Road.  This decision requires that a riverfront trail be provided, but additionally, that the Penncoyd Bridge, which O'Neill Property Group owns, be open to public pedestrian access.  (The O'Neill Prop.  Group was granted a higher density of apartments and lower ratio of parking because of the Bridge's access to SEPTA and R-Train stops on the Philadelphia side.)  This new trail segment and bridge connection would directly connect to the Schuylkill River Trail on the Philadelphia side and up to the Cynwyd Trail in Lower Merion.

Mr. O'Neill's lawyer is appealling that part of the decision to provide public pedestrian access on the Penncoyd Bridge. As described in the Main Line Times article, "Because O’Neill is using access via the bridge to public transit within 1,500 feet to get both density and parking bonuses, the board found that the developer must provide pedestrian access for the general public, not only apartment tenants."  Michael Weilbacher of the Lower Merion Conservancy opined later last week that "This project will bring hundreds of people to the Schuylkill’s edge. Great. What the project also does right is allow the Schuylkill River Trail to ramble across its front door, people like you and me coming to hike its length, connecting from there to the Cynwyd Heritage Trail and Flat Rock Park in Gladwyne....As advocates for the evolving trail system, we urge O’Neill to accept this condition."

While far from over, the Board of Commissioners' decision to require public access over the Penncoyd Bridge is a huge victory for Completing the Trail.  The Commissioners deserve a hearty congratulations for showing fortitude and vision and we commend Chris Leswing and the Friends of Cynwyd Trail for moving this exciting set of trail projects forward.