chester valley trail extension to downingtown

A mix of news, features, interviews and music from around the world presents an engaging portrait of the global community. I quite literally DID NOT KNOW WHERE the trail was! Each segment of the trail is at different stages in the development pipeline either already existing, under study, in engineering, or under construction, Hartman said. As compared to the Perkiomen or Schuylkill trails, CVT is like city riding. Lots of stops to cross traffic. Our first ride on the CVT was our last. Chester Valley Trail extension spotlights connection to Norristown's Schuylkill River Trail. When complete, the $6.2 million project will run 17.5 miles across the county, from the Schuylkill River Trail in Conshohocken to the Pennypack Trail in Upper Moreland and Bryn Athyn. WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program (CMAQ). endstream endobj 502 0 obj <. What is the Chester Valley Trail Extension? But on this trap I had a great ride from the Malvern trail head. As a woman who typically runs alone, it's worth noting that I felt quite safe here (I'm not particularly paranoid but in today's times safety is a consideration now). This was our longest ride since starting back to riding and we were wooped at the end. The drawbacks (frequent road crossings and occasional visual proximity to rte 202) are easily outweighed by the quality of the trail. This Phase will be about 1.25 miles. I parked at the lot off of Route 30 by the soccer fields. Portions of the trail are parallel to, or coincide with, 18th Century, Revolutionary War movements by Washington's Continental Army and British General Cornwallis' troops, after the Battle of Brandywine in September 1777. I WILL be back, probably many times. We will have to wait for the politicians to get some good weather to pat themselves on the back about what a great job they did before the trail is officially open, but in the meantimeexcept for the extreme eastern edge east of Old Eagle School Road and the extreme western edge, west of the Church Farm School, the path is open and clear of snow and ice. Public Meeting #2: 'Alternatives Analysis Review / DRAFT Recommended Alignment' was held March 30th at the West Whiteland Township Main Meeting Room. Overall a great trail! But I WAS FRUSTRATED! Instead of taking one directly across Rt 100, one is forced to divert 90 degrees away from the trail (heading northbound) to cross over Commerce Dr and then cross over Rt 100 (paralleling the trail), and then cross the opposite direction on Commerce Dr (Southward) to return to the trail on the west side of Rt 100. There are several stores to stop at for a break. After some lunch - off to Exton where we reached the (dead) end of the trail! I look forward to learning how to connect, on the east end, to the Schuylkill River Trail that goes all the way to Center City (PHL). I'm basing my rating on comparison to other trails I've ridden. The first section is in design and will extend the trail from Exton Town Center to near . PennDot really needs to put in a crosswalk for the trail and walkers on the south side of Commerce Dr. As previously stated, the trail surface is smooth and well maintained. The railroad roadcut - dating from the mid-1800s - was a cool oasis of green walls. A nice little bridge as well as a nice little tunnel, nice scenary along the way. Note: we started at the King of Prussia end and rode to Exton, but the last mile or so of the trail was closed. The Chester Valley Trail is a planned multi-use trail from Downingtown to Norristown. Little loud since your close to the interstate. It is relatively flat but still a good workout. (Courtesy Montgomery County). Other riders were friendly and there were My brother and I rode this asphalt trail. The trail . The county is looking for funding to construct a roughly $8 million to $10 million trail bridge over Germantown Pike to continue the trail into Whitemarsh. I can see how they might run a paved path along Clover Mill Road. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. Chester Valley Trail Chester Valley Trail - 4a In Progress 6.34 1.04 Schuylkill River Trail Parkerford Road to Route 422 In Progress 5.71 4.11 Brandywine Creek Trail P&T Trail to Robbins Road Pipeline 5.83 0.30 Chester Valley Trail CVT Extension to Downingtown - P&T Line Pipeline 9.86 6.68 It will link the existing 14.5-mile portion of the Chester Valley Trail to the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown. Looking forward to the extension towards Exton which looks. Thanks you to the Parks & Recreation Guys who have taken care of the trail and kept it plowed, ice free and safe this winter! If your looking for a relaxing ride this trail isnt for you. It is flat, shady and immaculately maintained. Activities: Biking, walking, jogging, rollerblading. All in all, I would say that the portion of the trail that I saw was very nice. It's harder going then coming back, but the street crossings are minimal and non invasive, the other riders/walkers are considerate and upbeat. There are multiple places to park and access the trail, but they can be difficult to find initially. I only walked a small section, about 3 miles but it was clean and perfect. The study made 3 recommendations: In 2011 Tredyffrin Township did a feasibility study to examine a connection from the Chester Valley Trail to the Paoli Train Station. There are lots of road crossings, and road noise from Route 202, but it was so pretty! Started at the North Gulf road. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? The route is a straight shot across the landscape, except for turns to accommodate busy road crossings. Its how we live. It was a weekday so I did not have any problems with traffic. Good track to work on your speed. Very smooth if you are on a road bike. It is also a very wide trail with plenty of passing room. However, the trail is not very bike friendly as it has far too many crossroads that require stopping to wait for traffic and/or traffic signals. 29 you need to zig and zag and wait for the traffic light and as you continue east the trail goes through the Target/Wegman's parking lot. The new trail section is a 10- to 12-foot-wide, paved, multiuse path that is part of the Circuit Trails network, a vast regional network of hundreds of miles of multiuse trails in the Greater Philadelphia region that is growing each year. I'm wondering what the thoughts are. On our way out we encountered an injured raccoon in the middle of the trail that had been cleaned up on the way back. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Anyone who knows, I would appreciate it. Philadelphia trail linking Schuylkill and Delaware rivers closer to taking shape. Nice trail with smooth asphalt for inline skating. The Trestle Bridge may be renovated for . The Chester Valley Trail Extension is a planned 3.8-mile extension of the Chester Valley Trail. Overpasses and tunnels, which help avoid street crossings, make this a family-friendly route. lacks trail etiquette And mostly I hated the busy road crossings from Malvern on. Download a full copy of the final report and watch a short summary video of the recommended improvements. At its full length, the Chester Valley Trail is planned to run from Atglen at the Chester County line to the Schuylkill River. It then continues for an additional 1500 feet before abruptly dead-ending at a clump of bushes. In icy/snowy conditions the trail may be closed until parking and access areas are addressed. But due to the many road crossings and that some of the trail is along major highways and that one is funneled to road crossings requiring sharp turns , I am giving this trail a 3 star rating. on the other side. West of Church Farm School towards Exton the trail is unpaved and becomes packed gravel then old train bed with large rocks and weeds. I recommend starting at KoP to make the return trip slightly downhill. The trail section near Exton out to CFS has a lot of points where you cross traffic so be careful. Flat trail,asphalt paved from Exton,Pa to rte 29 in Frazer. Alternately, Downingtown also has the Streubel Trail, on the other side of town. Otherwise, the proximity to 202 and the numerous road crossings makes the trail feel choppy and you never really feel disconnected from suburbia. Clean trail and a decent amount of tree coverage at most points for those hot sunny days. They are rarely on the trail and more so in the nearby woods. Parking is available at a number of locations along the trail. I cannot claim to be a frequent trail user. I then headed out on my run going East (I think) for 3.1 miles. This gives rise to multiple road crossings, and many are signal controlled, especially at major crossings. The Chester Valley Trail is currently 18.6 miles in length with 13.5 miles open for use in Chester County and 5.1 miles open to the east in Montgomery County. Used it for the first time last week. It is estimated that there are over 85,000 jobs and 58,000 residents, as well as professional buildings, corporate centers and shopping malls along the trail in West Whiteland, East Whiteland, and Tredyffrin Townships. Town Tours & Village Walks Program Wraps up 27th Year, Brownfield, Greyfield, & Infill Development. The new 3.9 miles will run through Upper Merion Township and Bridgeport Borough to Norristown, where it will then connect with the Schuylkill River Trail. It is a favorite destination for walkers, runners, families, and bikers since it is convenient to a large population. Image via the Chester County Planning Commission. Most is shaded and the cars were very good about stopping when So, if you are riding this trail roundtrip and want to be riding downhill on the return trip, then I suggest that you park at the King of Prussia Trailhead. Incoming traffic has the right of way and does not stop. Is it still there? But that takes you to Boot Road. Pretty flat. :). Definitely recommend for a family bike ride. I will definitely be back. Upper Dublin is taking the lead on designing and funding its section of the trail just over 4 miles from Pennsylvania Avenue up to Welsh Road. On Monday, March 13, 2023, the Montgomery County Commissioners joined with other local officials to cut the ribbon on the Chester Valley Trail Extension, a 3.8-mile extension of the Chester Valley Trail. The 3.9-mile extension would stretch the existing 14.5-mile Chester Valley Trail, which runs from Exton in Chester County into King of Prussia. Work on the Chester Valley Trail has been ongoing since 1991 when representatives from Montgomery County, Chester County, and PennDOT first envisioned it. First envisioned in 1991, the numerous disjointed segments of the Chester Valley Trail are finally starting to come together. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I road this trail. During substantial snowstorms, the Chester Valley Trail will be open to cross-country skiing for brief periods; however, snowmobiling and any other motorized use are prohibited. It is a wide trail and safe for two way 'traffic'. If you are travelling a bit to get here and ride this trail you may want to hold off until it's finished because the KOP section is only a little over a mile. In the future, extensions to the trail will allow . Sections not yet open to the public are posted as "NO TRESPASSING. Security issues and maintenance are coordinated by calling 610-344-5656. The cost is estimated to be $1.5 million, which will be paid for using county bond funding, a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant, and a grant from Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Regional Trails Program/William Penn Foundation. Parts of the Chester Valley Trail are labeled as "Patriot's Path," a path proposed to connect the Paoli Massacre Site with Valley Forge National Historic Park. The Chester Valley Trail extension is considered integral to Montgomery County's trail system, Hartman said. I'm more interested in the planned extension eastward to Norristown to connect to the Schuylkill River trail, on which I frequently bike. If you're starting from Exton, I'd recommend NOT parking near Walmart but in Raymour & Flanigan's parking lot to avoid crossing Rt 100, which is very busy! Beaver Creek Trail. The Schuylkill River Trail stretches from Philadelphia to beyond Reading with many connecting trails which will result in an uninterrupted trail system easily exceeding 100 miles (after connectors are completed-check back in 2013 for that ride). Ask us a question or send an idea for a story you think we should cover. The remote sections are nice and trail well maintained but would choose a different trail next time. Our cub scout troop rode the 6 mile section and added part of the unpaved "phase 2" section, parts of which requires hybrid tires until it is paved. Chester Valley Trail spans 18.6 from Schuylkill River Trail by Trail Junction Center (75 E Lafayette St, Norristown) to 0.3 mile west of Indian Run St & Commerce Dr (Exton) . Picked up the trail for an evening ride at Church Farm Lane which is the border between Exton Park and Valley Creek Corporate Center. It continues past the Veterans Memorial Park and into the King of Prussia area of Upper Merion Township. More than 1/3 of the distance is directly adjacent to 202 and the road noise is very loud. The crossings are well designed to keep cyclists and pedestrians safe. The bad is that you will need to keep a close eye out for the many walkers, runners, strollers, and families. hbbd```b``+@$SdExA$40,8`q L|` l@Z ".D@1#cmT#30}0 Kn 2023 The Circuit Trails. Yeah, there's a few road crossings, a couple of which are across 4-lanes, but, I'm not used to that, and it's one of those things that I can accept. Chester Valley Trail Extension to Downingtown Completion of multi-use trail from Exton to Thorndale 23.0 ROW Acquisition 2024 -2030 Chester Valley Trail West Completion of trail from Downingtown to Atglen 36.0 Seeking Funding 2023 -2030 Struble Trail Extension Completion of multi -use trail from Marsh Creek State Park to Reeds Road The trail is broken up by numerous street crossings. This unique corridor is a hidden gem that will provide for a safe and completely grade separated trail that will attract many users due to its scenic and historic quality and proximity to regional rail stations including Exton, Whitford, Downingtown, and Thorndale. 501 0 obj <> endobj We saw a park ranger marking trees for maintenance on our way, too. The Chester Valley Trail now extends 5 miles east in King of Prussia to Norristown where it connects to the Schuylkill River Trail. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Nice trail. I'm just curious what the plan is, if anyone knows. Much of the trail has a nice canopy of trees. Can't rate this trail until its finished but have high hopes for it. :( OK so NOW the GOOD! The scenery varies greatly, from woodsy tree tunnels to office parks and residential. Got a question about life in Phillys suburbs? Bill Rettew traversed the particulars for the Daily Local News. Does anyone know for sure how exactly they're going to connect where the trail currently ends (at Walmart basically, in Exton), to the existing Downingtown Trail that runs along 322? Also, its heavily used on the weekends making for a crowded ride. It mostly was funded with federal dollars through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program (CMAQ); Montgomery County spent about $1.97 million of its own capital funds. There were a couple of maintenance stations along the way. The 6.4 mile of the Chester Valley Trail is expanding in both directions with construction starting this month. Montgomery Countys fully accessible 5-mile portion of the Chester Valley Trail now links the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown to the existing segment in Chester County that extends 14.5 miles west from Tredyffrin Township to Exton. The other dangerous intersection is at Foundry Way in Malvern. Love it if could connect to VF park trail, but overall a great trail whether biking, running or taking the dog for a walk. The CVT gets a bit dense with crossings, cars and highway noise at either end. Currently, a 5.1 mile section is complete, connecting Montgomery County to Chester County. Its just a little boring. We were both very comfortable. The trail is great. This extension connects the Chester Valley Trail with the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown. Youll pass several small parks with picnic tables: DAmbrosia Park at 4 miles, Cedar Hollow Park at 6.6 miles, and Ecology Park at 10.1 miles. Youve got to build that basic infrastructure that provides the broad access that you can then tie into and connect, he said. Be careful here. Get a fresh perspective of people, events and trends that shape our world. Its shaded much of the way and successfully hides the fact that it runs very close to the 202 expressway. Chester Valley Trail. The good news for bicyclists is that the trail is flat, wide, smooth, and fairly scenic as it winds past parks, forested land, and streams. In the middle, where it follows the Chester Valley Railroad bed, it is at its best. 36.0 Seeking Funding TBD Paoli Pike Trail: Airport Road to Ellis Lane (Segment A) Multi-use trail along Paoli Pike (0.15 miles) . This trail does track w/ R-202 along KoP which can get pretty noisy but for the most part its pretty quiet, hence the 4 stars, not 5. The paved trail will be 12 feet wide, off-road, and designed for both cyclists and pedestrians for recreation and commuting. This extension of the existing 13.5 mile trail will . Public Meeting #3: 'DRAFT Master Plan - Recommended Alignment' was held on May 31st, 2017 at the West Whiteland Township Main Meeting Room. The Chester Valley Trail now stretches 13.5 miles in Chester County, from the Montgomery County border and running through Tredyffrin, East Whiteland, and West Whiteland townships. This trails brings me such joy! The renovated and relocated inn, which contains offices for the local chamber of commerce, stands 0.3 mile from the trail. At the Exton Park, there is a detailed trail sign and also indications of future trails, including the proposed route to link with the Schuylkill River Trail from King of Prussia. If you are looking for a great trail to hear mother nature. The Potential Alignments exhibit illustrates all of the alternatives being evaluated towards extending the CVT and providing connections to the existing Struble and East Branch Brandywine Trails. The 1.9-mile section of the Cross County Trail from Germantown Pike to Joshua Road is in the study phase. The Chester Valley Trail Extension passes through three municipalities, Upper Merion Township, Bridgeport, and Norristown. We won't bother with that again. All motorists very considerate. Also be aware that you get a lot of noise from the traffic on nearby Rt 202 - it was noticeable and sometimes unpleasant, even without my hearing aids. You are riding through an urban area and along some highways. Ironton Trail near Coplay PA & the southern Henry Hudson Trail near Freehold NJ are also paved & shady, but they are no where near as long. The Chester County Planning Commission (CCPC) completed the Chester Valley Trail Extension Study (CVTE) which investigated alternatives and determined a recommended alignment for extension of the Chester Valley Trail (CVT) from its current terminus in Exton into the Borough of Downingtown. Great Job!! As mentioned in the other reviews this trail will become a significant part of the overall Philadelphia/SE PA region trail network in the future but the immediate "phase 2" expansion begins in April 2012 and will result in 15 miles paved from Exton to King of Prussia by 2013. Pros - Relatively flat and straight. Found it to be much easier to run on than the Valley Forge Freedom Trail since there were far less cyclists riding at high speeds. We walked our bikes across the 3 intersections around the work since we were determined to get to the end of the trail. Trail is crowded with multiple users- bikes, jiggers, skateboarders, etc.

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