Parks and Recreation: Schuylkill River Trail

Location Details To Be Accomplished Montgomery County

Chester and Montgomery Counties retained the Wilson Consulting Corporation in December 2005 to provide surveys, environmental studies, and design services for construction of the 15-mile Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) section between Cromby, Phoenixville Borough, Chester County, and Pottstown in Montgomery County.

The 12-foot wide asphalt-paved trail will use PECO Energy right-of-ways, roadways, a canal towpath, public and private open space, and existing bridge and culvert structures.

The trail will be a public-accessible, non-motorized biking and hiking trail for recreational, fitness, tourism and commuting purposes that will comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. This segment will eventually connect to the current Schuylkill River Trail built to Betzwood, Valley Forge National Historical Park. {SRT}

The Chester County Parks & Recreation Department is the project’s lead agency. Both Counties will fund the project, as well as the Federal Highway Administration's Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) administered by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC).

Funds from this federal program will reimburse 80% of the project's costs. The matching 20% are from Chester and Montgomery Counties.

LOCATION

The Cromby to Pottstown segment will start at PA Route 100 proceeding east through Pottstown Borough, Montgomery County, crossing over the Schuylkill River using a new US Route 422 bridge, then traveling through North and East Coventry Townships, East Vincent Township, Spring City Borough, and East Pikeland Township, Chester County, ending at Cromby near the Phoenixville Borough line.

{SRT Map}

Under separate projects led by Phoenixville Borough and Montgomery County, to the east this trail segment will connect to the existing Schuylkill River and Perkiomen Trails at Oaks. Montgomery County is completing the 1.5 mile segment between Riverfront Park and the Berks County line where it will meet with the Schuylkill River Greenway Association’s Thun Trail in Berks County.

{SRT}

DETAILS

Chester and Montgomery Counties will determine the final alignment based on the design considerations including: property ownership; municipal official discussions; other stakeholders; terrain characteristics; economic feasibility; environmental considerations, and availability of right-of-way.

Details of the alignment are summarized as follows:

The trail will be a public-accessible biking and hiking trail for recreational, fitness, tourism and commuting purposes.
Total trail length will be approximately 14.56 miles.
The trail will have an asphalt-paved surface with an average maximum width of ten feet, four feet paved and grass shoulders, and will be designed in accordance with Americans Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines for accessibility and use.
The trail will be located within existing railroad and PECO Energy right-of-way corridors, former roadway and utility right-of-ways, canal towpaths, public and private open space, roadn shoulders and over existing bridges and culvert structures.
Two existing parking lots, improved to operate as trail heads, and four new trailheads.
Sixteen at-grade roadway crossings and no above-grade crossings.
Approximately 24 existing stream-crossing structures.
Approximately seven new stream crossing structures, potentially of a variety of types and sizes, but ideally pre-cast, concrete box or arch culverts.

TO BE ACCOMPLISHED

1. Project management and administration, including coordination with PennDOT, DVRPC, Chester and Montgomery Counties, local municipalities, and stakeholders.

2. Obtain project acceptance from local municipalities as required by planning commissions and elected/ assigned boards and commissions; conduct public meetings.

3. Obtain PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permits and road occupancy permits from local municipalities.

4. Coordinate the design of new and modified traffic signals, trail alignment and design with local municipalities, and obtain PennDOT Traffic Signal Permits.

5. Obtain US Army Corps of Engineers and PA Department of Environmental Protection stream and floodplain encroachment permits.

6. Obtain Department of Environmental Protection joint permit and County Conservation District erosion control permits.

7. Prepare trail construction drawings at various scales to depict proposed improvements for trail/roadway intersections, trailheads, and stream crossing structures.

8. Obtain utility clearances.

9. Acquire new aerial topography for the trail alignment.

10. Prepare typical trail sections, construction details and traffic studies.

11. Prepare designs for drainage facilities including necessary hydrologic and hydraulic studies; erosion and sediment pollution control plans; utility relocation plans; structure Type, Size, and Location (TS&L) plans; structural design drawings; work zone traffic control plans; signing and pavement marking plans; traffic signal plans, and all associated reports.

12. Prepare all associated trail design plans for bidding and construction as required by PennDOT Design Manuals.

13. Prepare interim, preliminary and final construction cost estimates.

14. Prepare construction specification special provisions.

15. Environmental Clearances: Obtain as required for preliminary hazardous waste research, wetland identification and delineation, and minor agricultural land research and coordination.