Manayunk Bridge Trail Construction Job Is Now Advertised!

After several years of hard work among numerous regional, municipal, state and transit partners, the City of Philadelphia and PennDOT have advertised the construction job of building a trail on top of the Manayunk Bridge.  WootWoot!   

This new Circuit trail will connect the Cynwyd Heritage Trail in Lower Merion over to the corner of Dupont and High Streets in Manayunk. A second phase will continue the trail to the Ivy Ridge Train Station.

The technical jargon is as follows:

The Manayunk Bridge Trail MPMS# 92413 has now been listed on the City of Philadelphia Office of Procurements list of Public Works Bidding Opportunities.

The listing indicates that the specifications will be available through Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Engineering and Construction Management System (ECMS) on 12/17/2013 and that the bid opening date is planned to be 1/16/2014. The City’s bid number is 3749ECMS.

Congratulations to the many partners who made this project possible!  It's going to be a phenomenal addition to the Circuit!

Ivy Ridge Trail Public Workshop on Monday in Manayunk

You know about the Cynwyd Heritage Trail in Lower Merion Township; right? And how the much-anticipated trail on top of the Manayunk Bridge will extend that trail over the Schuylkill River? Well, the Ivy Ridge Trail is the third piece of that trail, extending a wide, paved route to the Ivy Ridge Station. 

Trail enthusiasts and interested neighbors can learn more about the Ivy Ridge Trail's design and timeframe at a public workshop on Monday. Another piece of The Circuit coming into focus!

Manayunk Bridge is on Fast Track to a 2014 Rail-To-Trail Transformation

A future jewel of our region's trail system

After two years of behind-the-scenes work on the part of many individuals and agencies, we are heartened to report that the Manayunk Bridge trail project will be advertised this summer, which means it should go to construction either late 2013 or early 2014. In the transportation world, start to finish in four years for a project of this scale and complexity is rare and a testament to the diligence of the cooperating partners.

Trail Meetings In Ardmore and West Philly Happening This Week

Interested in seeing the future of bicycle/pedestrian trails in our region? Want to voice your support for new trail construction? There are two meetings happening this week concerning big components of our trail network.

Let's make the Manayunk Bridge trail happen!

Lower Merion Township Board Meeting

An important meeting on funding for the Manayunk Bridge bike/ped trail.

When: Wednesday, March 21st

Time: 7:30 pm

Location: Lower Merion Township Building

75 East Lancaster Ave, Ardmore PA

At this meeting, the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners will consider matching a $500,000 grant to fund construction of this jewel of a trail. We've written about this recently.

If you live in Lower Merion Township, please attend and show your support for funding this trail. The bridge will connect the Cynwyd Trail to the Schuylkill River Trail, connecting Bala Cynwyd in Lower Merion with Manayunk. It's an incredible view from the top of the bridge, and the bridge would be one of the best places to ride or walk in our region.

Construction of the 58th Street Greenway began last month

58th Street Greenway public meeting

When: Thursday, March 22nd
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: Myers Recreation Center (5800 Chester Ave, Phila PA)
RSVP to: Khiet Luong kluong@pecpa.org

The 58th Street Greenway will connect Cobb's Creek to Bartram's Garden with a multi-use path. This meeting will feature an overview of the project, unveil its final design, introduce the contractors, explain the construction schedule, and more.

Ask Lower Merion & Montco to Help Build the Trail Over Manayunk Bridge

Friends of Cynwyd Heritage Trail is rallying support to ask Lower Merion Township and Montgomery County to contribute funds to help build a trail over the Manayunk Bridge. This will be a beautiful, one-of-a-kind trail and there are several ways you can help!

View of Manayunk Bridge from the Cynwyd  Heritage Trail

Background

Lower Merion Township Planning Department wants to apply for a state grant of $500,000  to help fund the building of a trail atop the Manayunk Bridge that will connect Lower Merion to Philadelphia. However, this grant is contingent upon Lower Merion Township (and possibly) Montgomery County together matching that funding.


Last week, the Lower Merion's Parks and Recreation Committee voted to recommend that the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners authorize the township to match the state's $500k grant.


The Lower Merion Board of Commissioners next meet on March 21st and will vote on the measure.

What You Can Do

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.