The Schuylkill River is Suffering a Title Drought

The Schuylkill may look fine, but it's hiding a deep pain: the pain of a 14-year title drought.

For the past twenty years, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has recognized one River of the Year. This recognition is done to raise awareness of the important recreational, ecological, and historical resources associated with the state’s rivers and streams. For the past four years, the recognition has been conferred upon the river that wins a popular vote.

The River of the Year is celebrated throughout the year. Events, coordinated with community groups, have included Sojourn paddling trips, a speaker series, clean up days, photography contests, and more. In addition, the Pennsylvania Organization of Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) coordinates the production and distribution of a free poster celebrating the river.

This year, the Schuylkill was nominated by three organizations: the Schuylkill River Development Corporation, Montgomery County Planning Commission, and the Schuylkill River Heritage Area (SRHA). SRHA has been selected as the point organization for the contest this year.

Last year, our beloved Schuylkill River lost the title to the Monongahela River by a hair: 146 votes (out of 25,450 ballots cast.) The Schuylkill hasn't been recognized since 1999. It's a title drought! Surely it deserves to be recognized again now that its water quality, and the aptly-titled Schuylkill River Trail have both improved so much over the past 14 years.

WE CAN"T LET THE SCHUYLKILL LOSE TWO YEARS IN A ROW!

Please vote for the Schuylkill River, early and often. The voting period is open until December 27th.

The nominees for River of the Year. 

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.

PA/NJ/DE Trails submitted for TIGER II

On July 26th, Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) submitted a TIGER II pre-application to the U.S. DOT for planning and construction of 30 trail segments in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.  Pennsylvania Environmental Council and the Bicycle Coalition helped prepare the pre-application.  Some of the segments include those submitted in the 2009 TIGER I application, but which did not receive funding.

This TIGER II pre-application is called Generating Recovery by Enhancing Active Transportation in the Mid-Atlantic (GREAT Mid-Atlantic) and includes urban and rural trail segments on seven different major trail systems in seventeen counties in three states (PA, NJ and DE).  The final application will be submitted in late August and US DOT is expected to make its decision by September 15, 2010.

• Delaware & Lehigh Natl. Heritage Corridor (5 segments)
• Erie to Pittsburgh Trail (3)
• Greater Allegheny Passage (5)
• Schuylkill River Trail (4)
• East Coast Greenway (9)
• Delaware & Hudson Trail (1)
• Camden Greenways (3)

For more detail on the project segments and sponsoring organizations, see the GREAT Mid-Atlantic project list.