Commissioners plan to defer celebration until warmer weather in spring
It may be too cold to celebrate, but the Chester County Commissioners announced the opening on Tuesday, Jan.28, of Phase II of the Chester Valley Trail, deferring the festivities until spring.
“Completion of Phase II brings the trail up to 9.8 miles, running through the heart of Chester County,” said Commissioners’ Chairman Ryan Costello. “Neighborhood access, connectivity to municipal trailheads and many corporate parks, and its natural beauty all make trail completion another tremendous step forward.”
Phase I opened in the fall of 2010 and included four miles from Exton Park to Rt. 29. Phase II extends the trail from Uptown Worthington at Rt. 29, east to Old Eagle School Road in Tredyffrin, a distance of approximately 5.8 miles, a county news release said.
“We estimate that around 350,000 people have been using the Chester Valley Trail every year since Phase I was completed,” said Commissioner Kathi Cozzone. “Clearly our citizens want this trail, not just for recreation, but for commuting as well. Use of this trail by hundreds of thousands of people every year helps us to achieve the county’s strategic plan goals relating to health and transportation.”
Commissioner Terence Farrell noted that building the trail was not as simple as clearing brush, trimming trees and paving. “…when you factor in “the renovation or complete re-building of culverts and the installation of bridges, it becomes evident that trail construction – especially in such a highly populated area – is not that straightforward,” Farrell said. “In addition to recognizing the staff in our department of Facilities and Parks, local businesses and municipalities, Montgomery County and PennDOT, I thank the Friends of the Chester Valley Trail group, whose members have been helpful in maintaining a dialogue with the public about the progress of the trail, and who also volunteer time to help maintain the trail’s beauty.”
Construction of a small part of Phase II will continue as the trail extends east of Old Eagle School Road into Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, the release said.
Chester Valley Trail Phase III construction is scheduled to begin in March. Phase III will add another 1.25 miles and connect the county’s Exton Park site with Ironlake Boulevard in Exton. This phase will include a signalized trail crossing at U.S. 30 and North Ship Road in Exton, the release said.
Another section of the trail, Phase IV, will be approximately one mile in length and will continue the trail from Main Street at Exton west to the Oaklands Corporate Center. The Phase I construction cost was $5 million with all of the money coming from the Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The cost of Phase II to date is $8.9 million with 80 percent of the money being reimbursed through the Federal Highway Administration’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program, the release said.
The Chester Valley Trail project dates back to 1991, when representatives of Chester County, Montgomery County and PennDOT envisioned a soon-to-be-abandoned rail line as a major regional trail facility. Five years later, Chester County acquired the first section of right-of-way for the project, the release said.
