Events in April: Explore New Trail/Bike Opportunities

Bob Thomas (photo by Phil Straus)

Sunday, April 15th - 1 pm - Walking Tour of the (proposed) Forge to Refuge Trail -- Plans are afoot to extend the Cobbs Creek Trail as part of the proposed Valley Forge to Heinz Refuge Trail.  Join architect and trail designer Bob Thomas on an exploratory walk from West Philadelphia to Haverford Township to see the various possibilities for this portion of the trail, which would travel through Cobbs Creek and Karakung Parks. For more information and registration go to the Parks Alliance website and click on "walking tours"

April 18 & 19th - 5:30 pm - Lower Schuylkill River Master Plan Feedback  Sessions.  Phila Industrial Dev. Corp. and Phila. City Planning Commission will present early ideas and recommendations from the Lower Schuylkill Master Plan and give citizens the opportunity to offer feedback. The Master Plan Study for the Lower Schuylkill River District is a collaborative effort to create a blueprint for high-quality sustainable redevelopment of the historically industrial corridor along the east and west banks of the Lower Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, PA.  This is a great opportunity to advocate for completing the Schuylkill River Trail from Bartram's Garden down to Fort Mifflin. Meetings are April 18th at 5:30pm at the Richard Allen Charter School, or April 19th at 5:30pm at UPenn's South Bank Campus at 34th & Gray's Ferry Avenue.

April 24th - 3:30-5pm Earth Day Navy Yard Bike Tour. Hosted by Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC) for Energy-Efficient Buildings, this ride will feature an overview of the Navy Yard's past, present and future, its sustainability-focused tenants, water department initiatives, and much more. Register here.

Two Years After TIGER Grant, Trail Construction Is Underway

This February marks the two-year anniversary of the huge, $23 million TIGER grant awarded to Philadelphia and Camden to build 10 new sections of multi-use trails.

Philadelphia's 7 projects are being pushed, pulled, and managed by a coalition of agencies and advocates (Philadelphia's Streets Department, PennDOT, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Philadelphia Parks and Rec, Schuylkill River Dev. Corporation, Bartram's Garden and the Delaware River City Corp). In New Jersey, NJDOT is working with Camden County and the Coopers Ferry Partnership on the 3 projects in Camden. Numerous engineering companies have been involved in final design and several construction firms now have contracts to begin work.

We are excited to report that four projects have broken ground and more are expected to start this spring. Here is an update on the new bike/ped goodness coming to a neighborhood near you:

Upcoming Public Meetings on SRT - Manayunk Tow Path, West Bank Connector & Gray's' Ferry Crossing

Several capital projects are improving the Manayunk Canal Tow Path.

Thanks to the hard work of the Phila. Parks and Rec. Department and Philadelphia Water Department, the Manayunk Tow Path has been greatly improved. Check out the 360 view in the photo above.

The Schuylkill Project is organizing a public meeting to get the community up to date on the status of projects including Lower Venic Island Tank/Park/Performance Center, the Manayunk Tow Path and restoration planting in Shawmont.

Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Time: 7pm

Place: Manayunk Brew Pub

_______________________________________________

Schuylkill River Development Corporation is holding a public meeting to present concepts about two SRT projects

Ever wonder how Gray's Ferry Crescent will get connected to the rest of the Schuylkill River Trail. Or what happens after the Boardwalk gets built and ends at South Street Bridge?

Find out at this public meeting about the West Bank Schuylkill River Trail and Gray's Ferry Crossing.

Date: Wednesday, February 8

Time: 6pm

Location: Rainey Auditorium at Penn Museum, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Like Naming Things? Name Our Regional Trail Network!

Are you good at naming things? Do you have a lot of pets, or kids, all with terrific names they've really grown into as dogs, or people?

Well, there's a contest happening to confer a name upon the network of bike/ped trails that snakes through the 9-county region.

The William Penn Foundation is working with DVRPC on a naming contest. Visit the contest website here for additional details. The contest ends on December 16th. The creator of the winning entry will receive $250 and the fame of having his or her name attached to our regional trail network.

Below is information from the William Penn Foundation about the contest:

Name Our Trail Network Contest

Our region's network of trails needs a name. We need your help!

Submit your best ideas to NameOurTrailNetwork@gmail.com. The entry selected by our jury will receive a $250 cash prize!

Greater Philadelphia's developing system of trails has energized communities across the region, with each new segment connecting more neighborhoods and residents. This network - which includes the Schuylkill River Trail, Cooper River Trail, East Coast Greenway and several others - represents a potential world-class amenity, reaching from the heart of downtown Philly and Camden into the surrounding counties and communities.

The trail system needs a unifying name to increase its visibility and reinforce the connections that exist between neighborhoods, businesses, jobs and recreation opportunities across the region without relying on a car. The William Penn Foundation and a group of local partners have organized a contest to create this important identity. Help us name Greater Philadelphia's trail network and you could win $250 - and the pride of knowing you created the name for one of our region's coolest amenities!

Submit your best ideas for a name that captures the potential of our connected network to NameOurTrailNetwork@gmail.com. The winning name, selected by the jury, will be announced in early January and the winner will receive a $250 cash prize. Name ideas should:

• Reflect the entire trails region of southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.
• Respect existing trail names. An ideal name will complement and be used in tandem with existing trail names, such as as the Schuylkill River Trail and Cooper River Trail.
• Promote the many benefits and experiences the trails provide, including transportation, recreation, accessibility and exploration.
• Focus on the future and avoid over-used colonial imagery and historical clichés.

Please send your name ideas to NameOurTrailNetwork@gmail.com no later than midnight EST on December 16, 2011. In your entry, please include:

• Suggested name for the Regional Trail Network
• A reason for the suggested name (no more than 150 words)
• Your Name
• Phone Number
• Email

Please visit http://www.dvrpc.org/NameOurTrailNetwork/ for additional information, trail system name examples and complete contest rules.

Cynwyd Trail Opening Sunday 10/23

For a public works project, the Cynwyd Trail was planned, designed and built in warp speed. Driven by Lower Merion Township's Planner Chris Leswing and Friends of the Cynwyd Trail, this new trail is being thrown a big party on Sunday, October 23rd from 1-4pm. Ride your bike to 154 E. Levering Mill Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA (map)

Cynwyd Heritage Trail map

The Cynwyd Heritage Trail runs from the Cynwyd rail station northeast between West Laurel Cemetery and West minster Cemetery, terminating where Belmont Avenue meets Rock Hill Rd. The Manayunk Bridge extension will eventually connect this trail to the Schuylkill River Trail.

In addition to a Ribbon Cutting event, Philadelphia radio host Dan Reed will provide a “Trail Mix” of music. There will be pumpkins, scavenger hunts, face painting, giveaways, food and excitement for the entire community. The Main Line Art Center’s new Art Mobile will be on hand to provide arts and crafts fun for the younger set, and of course, the Friends of the Cynwyd Trail will play a prominent role, providing walking tours (and signing up new members!)

Penn Park Is A Bicycling Destination, Not A Bicycling Park

Penn Park held its ribbon cutting with fanfare, free hot dogs, and speechifying in a dreary mist on Thursday, September 15th. We stopped by to check out the park that increases UPenn's green space by 20% (according to the Penn Alumni Relations Office). We took some photos, which are available here. Penn Park is a sleek and impressive addition to the neighborhood, but is a disappointment for anyone hoping to explore the West side of the Schuylkill via bicycle.

Built atop a reclaimed brownfield, Penn Park is attractive, filled with amenities, and sure to become a primary stop for undergraduate tour guides. Penn Park boasts tennis and softball facilities, plus two lighted turf fields with terrific views of the Center City skyline across the river. (The athletic facilities are only for Penn-affiliated users). Several grassy fields and a network of winding paths are available for public use. A handful of U-rack arrays are scattered around the park.

UPenn's promo literature says that the park will help connect the UPenn campus and Center City. It will help, but more needs to be done. The park doesn't improve walking or bicycling access across the Schuylkill River, Schuylkill Expressway, or the Amtrak train tracks. It only provides an incentive to do so. While the Park and new bridges help lay the groundwork for a connection between West Philly and Center City, additional work is needed. (More information on the Complete The Trail Campaign here, and information on the West Bank Connector here).

We were disappointed to see that Penn Park presents physical and regulatory barriers to bicycling. The park is currently accessible by three bridges: one coming off the Walnut Street Bridge, the Paley Bridge leading to the stadium to the west, and the Weave Bridge across the tracks to the south. Posted signs instruct bicyclists to walk their bikes on all three bridges, but bike riding is allowed on other park paths. A UPenn security officer at the opening confirmed this policy.

Strollers and little red wagons are, presumably, allowed on the bridge

Forcing bicyclists to dismount to enter the park disincentives riders from using the park as a thoroughfare. The bridges and paths appear to meet AASHTO design guidelines for a shared use path, and if that is the case, the decision is an arbitrary one. It is somewhat of a moot point, however, because the park's paths are too winding and (likely to be) crowded with pedestrians to make bicycle riding satisfying.

It should be noted, however, that the smooth paths and (currently) lush adjacent grass make Penn Park an excellent place to take a child learning how to ride a bicycle.

In all, UPenn has created a park to bicycle to, but not through.

Manayunk Bridge Design Meeting, Thursday, Sept 15

Important Design Meeting on the Manayunk Bridge
Thursday, September 15, 2011
7pm
Lower Merion Township Board Room,
Ardmore, PA directions

As reported back in June on this blog, one of the critical gaps in the Regional Trail Network and a key segment of the Complete the Trail campaign is the Manayunk Bridge, which will link up the Cynwyd Trail (opening on September 24th) to the Schuylkill River Trail's Tow Path and on-road trail on Main and Umbria Streets.

Many stakeholders have prioritized building this highly visible trail segment. The City of Philadelphia, SEPTA, Lower Merion Township, Philadelphia's Parks and Recreation Dept., Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and several non-profits including the William Penn Foundation, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Schuylkill Project and Manayunk Dev. Corp and Pennsylvania Environmental Council have all been working hard to help build this trail segment under a tight deadline set by PennDOT's Community Transportation Initiative, which made a $1.3 M grant to the City of Philadelphia for construction of the trail.

No doubt, this project packs a lot in. It will connect two riverfront communities (Lower Merion Township and Manayunk) that each want and need a bike/ped connection to each other; open up an inactive railroad asset to the public and provide spectacular views of the Schuylkill River and Manayunk; and provide a new and important transportation option for students, employers and employees who live and work in LMT or Manayunk/Roxborough. Lastly, it will add considerable value to both the soon-to-be-open Cynywd Heritage Trail and the Schuylkill River Trail by connecting them. Ultimately, the trail will continue to the Ivy Ridge Station and hopefully, to Shawmont where it will connect with the paved portion of the Schuylkill River Trail.

The public's input on the design is welcome and invited. Please come to the Thursday, Sept. 15th meeting in Ardmore!

Two New Trail Events in Manayunk and Lower Merion Need Cyclists Participation

Two must-do events for cyclists in the Philadelphia and Montgomery County, especially those who live near Lower Merion Township and Manayunk, are around the corner. Mark your calendars!

On Thursday, September 15th, trail design concepts for the Manayunk Bridge will be presented at a public meeting to be held at the Lower Merion Township offices at 7pm. This is the YOUR BEST opportunity have input into the design of the trail across the Schuylkill River on top of the Manayunk Bridge. Lots of activities must be accommodated on the Bridge, and how bikes move through is an important component. Please attend if you plan to use the Bridge for transportation or recreation. The Manayunk Bridge will connect the Cynwyd Heritage Trail over to Schuylkill River Trail in Manayunk at Dupont and High Streets.

Speaking of which, on Sunday, October 23 11am-2pm, Lower Merion Township will hold a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail at the Barmouth Station. This exciting new 1.2 mile trail, designed by the Studios of Bryan Haynes, is an exciting new addition to the Regional Trail Network and is part of the a critical link between Lower Merion and Philadelphia. The opening will feature music, restaurant samplings and other festivities.

Please RSVP to etrainer@lowermerion.org if you plan to attend. Bicycle Coalition staff will lead a ride from Center City to the ceremony. More to come closer to that date.

A trail with a view

Looking north 

Do you like this view of the Canal Tow Path? 

Looking south

How about this one of the Schuylkill River with Manayunk on the left and I-76 and Lower Merion on the right?

 Where were these photos taken?  From the top of the Manayunk Bridge, one of the nine segments identified by the Complete the Trail campaign. 

On top of the Manayunk Bridge

Main Street Manayunk

This inactive rail bridge, which links Lower Merion to Manayunk, is slated to become a the first biking/walking (only) bridge over the Schuylkill River in Southeast PA.  SEPTA, the City of Philadelphia, PennDOT,  the William Penn Foundation, Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County and many others are collaborating together and working hard to transform this bridge from rail to trail.  

Consulting engineers, landscape architects and designers are beginning to put pen to paper to design a trail over the bridge that would link the Cynwyd Heritage Trail to the Schuylkill River Trail. 

How would you like this trail to be designed? How should bikes and pedestrians co-exist?  What should the railing look like?  What about the surface?  If you have ideas or visions, let the designers know by sending them your thoughts in an email. 

SRT Groundbreaking on Monday, March 14

At 10am on  Monday, March 14th, Mayor Michael Nutter and Park & Rec Commissioner Mike DiBerardinis will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction project that will repair and reconstruct the sidepath along Kelly Drive between Falls Bridge and Ridge Avenue.  All are invited.  This long awaited project is the first among several that will break ground during 2011 to improve or build new sections of the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia.  Come and partake in this event and learn more about how Philadelphia is marching toward Completing the Trail.

PCTI Funding Awards include $1.3 Million for the Manayunk Bridge Trail

PennDOT Announces $24.7 Million for Smart Transportation Projects in 41 Communities

The Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative, or PCTI, is a competitive funding program to support and encourage local transportation projects that exemplify the goals of Smart Transportation.

PennDOT received 238 applications from cities, boroughs, townships, Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations, transit agencies and advocacy groups requesting more than $175 million. The list of successful projects support local economic development; encourage walkable, multimodal, mixed-use development; improve regional connectivity; or enhance the existing transportation network.

In our region, 3 projects (two in Philadelphia and one in Chester County) will directly address bicycle access and mobility.  Congratulations to the City of Philadelphia, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and Chester County Planning Department!

• $1,300,000 to build a trail on the Manayunk Railroad Bridge to connect the Schuylkill River and Cynwyd Trails.
• $1,100,000 for the Race Street Pier Connector Project to improve connectivity including bike lanes along Race Street to connect the Old City neighborhood with the Race Street Pier and the Columbus Blvd waterfront.
• $85,000 to complete a bicycle and pedestrian multi-municipal master plan emphasizing linkages to regional trails and access to transportation centers in central Chester County.

Full a full list of projects go to the press release.


2005 BCGP rendering of the Manayank Bridge Path

Pennsylvania applies to bring another TIGER to the Delaware Valley

On the heels of the TIGER I grant that Philadelphia and Camden received in February 2010, Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources submitted  a TIGER II grant application in mid-September for $35 million to fund trail projects on 10 regional trail systems in PA, NJ and DE. 

Let's hope that lightening strikes twice.

Trail segments in Delaware Valley proposed for TIGER II funding

Generating Recovery by Enhancing Active Transportation in the Mid-Atlantic (GREAT-Mid Atlantic) proposes to build or plan 30 different trail projects in PA, NJ, and DE, over 10 regional trail systems directly impacting a population of over 8 million Americans.

In our neck of the woods, GREAT-Mid Atlantic proposes to build:

• Schuylkill River Trail towpath near Phoenixville
• Schuylkill River Trail widening near Valley Forge
• Manayunk Bridge
• State and Harrison Avenue in Camden
• Haddonfield Greenway 
• Pennypack Trail Bridge
• Bensalem Trail
• Delaware Canal Trail on Route 13
• Delaware Canal Trail over Conrail RR Crossing

 The application is being reviewed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.  A decision is expected sometime before December 31, 2010.  

You can help by sending a letter of support.  Please do one or both of the following: 

1) Send a snail mail letter of support for the application to Secretary Ray LaHood at 

U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590 

2) Email a letter to your Governor asking them to support the application.  Their opinion carries a lot of weight! Email a letter today.   A copy of your email will go to Secretary LaHood.

Bridge to Ridge Trail Reconstruction Begins This Spring

With all the necessary permits in place and the contract soon going out to bid the reconstruction of the Schuylkill River Trail from the Falls Bridge to Ridge Avenue will begin later this Spring (May-June timeframe). The project is expected to take about 5 months and will be concurrent with the massive Gustine Lake Interchange (City Ave/Ridge Av/Lincoln Dr) project.

Plans are to repair and widen the narrow sidewalk trail to a 10' wide permeable asphalt path. A retaining wall will be built where the path meets up against a steep slope. The work will end at the intersection of Ridge Avenue and Kelly Drive. The upcoming Wissahickon Gateway project, will be looking at alternatives to carrying the trail over the Wissahickon Creek via the Ridge Avenue sidewalk.

A on-street detour plan is being drawn up that will use Calumet Street and Ridge Avenue. The details of this plan will be made available once it is finalized.

View GREAT PA/NJ Projects in a larger map

Getting some perspective on the TIGER Award to Philly and Camden

Now that the initial cries of "HOLY COW" (or substitute other words for cow, your choice) that rippled throughout the Bicycle Coalition and it's partners' offices last week have died down, I want to offer a few thoughts about the incredibly cool TIGER award that Philadelphia and Camden won last week.

First of all, all the counties and agencies that participated in the initial proposal submitted back in September should take great pride that in this award. It was the regional aspect and collaboration amongst 6 different governmental agencies that made this application stand out all the others.

The odds of winning were slim. 1400 applications were received by USDOT. Approximately, $60 Billion (Billion with a B) dollars worth of projects were vying for $1.5Billion. When we heard that figure back in November, we knew it was a long shot.



So, the fact that this regional application was awarded $20.2M out of $36M requested is stunning. Only 51 projects (3% of those submitted) were selected. Only two bicycle/pedestrian networks were funded, ours and Indianapolis. Those two projects were 3% ($46M) of all TIGER funding, which sounds small, but 24 of the 51 had some bicycle/pedestrian component. According the America Bikes, "TIGER contributed $405 million to job-rich, green infrastructure projects such as building and improving sidewalks, curb ramps, bike lanes and multi-use trails." Clearly, this TIGER program reflects a federal policy shift away from car-centric projects.


While the odds were small, many of us who worked on getting this application together knew in our bones that completing the Schuylkill River Trail, East Coast Greenway and Camden GreenWay truly embodied the goal of the TIGER program: nationally, regionally, or metro-significant projects that facilitate linking transportation, housing, energy, and environmental concerns and were judged on criteria based on livability, sustainability, safety and economic development. The application submitted by the six counties made the case that completing a network of trails met those criteria. We were sure that we had a good shot, even if it was a long one. Plus, it helped that 59 elected officials, institutions and organizations sent USDOT supporting letters. We owe a big round of thanks to all those who did so.


As said in an earlier post, this is the first victory of what we want to be many. There are more gaps on the Schuylkill River Trail and East Coast Greenway in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, Bucks, Berks and Schuylkill Counties to close; we have years of more work to do before one can bike from Fort Mifflin to Pottsville or Trenton. On Thursday and Friday of last week, many organizations submitted appropriations requests for those remaining trail segments that didn't get included in the TIGER grant.

It is so gratifying that after one year of working collaboratively and strategically, the non-profit community and local and county governments have broken the funding drought that trails have experienced for at over a decade. If we keep this winning collaboration going, we are bound to achieve our goal of a connected regional network of biking/walking trails.



Read more about the TIGER award in the Inquirer, NBC10, Philebrity, T4America, Sierra Club Compass, Bikes Belong, Streetsblog DC

Ask Governor Rendell and Corzine to Support Funding for Bike Trails

It is time for Philadelphia to fill the gaps in the Schuylkill River Trail, for Pennsylvania to have a connected East Coast Greenway connecting to New Jersey and Delaware, and for Camden, New Jersey to become a city of trails, not highways.

Between the Complete the Schuylkill River Trail and East Coast Greenway campaigns, a broad network of organizations is asking that supporters of green infrastructure (you!) ask Governor Rendell and Governor Corzine to support completing these trails.

A little over a month ago, Philadelphia and five other surrounding counties submitted to the federal government for stimulus funding an unprecedented multi-jurisdictional application (called GREAT PA/NJ) for $36 million to build 17 segments of the Schuylkill River Trail, the East Coast Greenway and the Camden GreenWay. If stimulus funds can repair highways and bridges, remodel transit stations and repave roads, why shouldn't that same type of funding build bicycle & pedestrian trails? This is a HUGE opportunity to significantly advance active transportation regionally and to close many of the gaps along these trail systems.

Let Governor Rendell and Governor Corzine know that you are counting on them to be supportive of the GREAT PA/NJ application and to support other funding programs to build and complete bicycle & pedestrian trails. Send an email letter (which you can personalize) to your Governor today!