Authored By: The Circuit Trails | July 14, 2016

The Circuit Trails are over $4.5 million richer, thanks to grant awards from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that were announced earlier this summer.

The money comes from state revenues generated by Acts 13 and 89, and grants made possible by a federal program for distribution by the states. Municipalities and other entities competed for these grants, which can help fund diverse projects, ranging from trail construction, to watershed protection, to abandoned mine drainage.

In total, 565 grants were awarded, of which 33 were directly for, or connected to, the Circuit Trails.

“The region made a commitment to build out the 750 miles of Circuit by 2040,” says Sarah Clark Stuart, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, and Chair of the Circuit Trails Coalition. “These awards will help make steady progress toward reaching that goal. Pennsylvania is fortunate to have these sources of funding available for trails.”

All told, 16 projects directly related to building or maintaining the Circuit Trails won $4,591,885 in grant money. An additional $3,439,392 was awarded to 17 trail projects in the five-county region that are not formally a part of the Circuit, but in many cases will connect to it.

The largest award—a cool $1 million—was granted to help construct a pedestrian bridge near the new Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia research building at the current southern terminus of the Schuylkill River Trail.

Other awards include $800,000 for the Spring Garden Greenway, $250,000 for the Cross County Trail, and $250,000 for the Bensalem Greenway.

With support from state and federal money, and local commitment from counties, cities, and townships, the Circuit Trails are continuing to expand and become even better and even more accessible.

Below is the list of applicants, grant projects, and directly relevant to the Circuit Trails:

• Bensalem Township — Bensalem Greenway — $250,000
• Bucks County Commissioners — Lower Neshaminy Creek Greenway Trail Feasibility Study — $8,885
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia — CHOP Schuylkill Avenue Pedestrian Bridge Project — $1,000,000
• City of Philadelphia Streets Department — Philadelphia Bicycle Facilities — $400,000
• Delaware River City Corporation — Baxter Trail — $250,000
• Delaware River City Corporation — K&T Trail — $150,000
• Delaware River City Corporation —North Delaware Riverfront Greenway Master Plan Update — $125,000
• Delaware River Waterfront Corporation — Pier 68 Park Development Project — $250,000
• Delaware River Waterfront Corporation — Spring Garden Street Connector Project — $800,000
• Friends of the Wissahickon — Wissahickon Trail Signage — $250,000
• Philadelphia Parks and Recreation — Kelly Drive/Fairmount Park Rehabilitation Project — $180,000
• Righters Ferry Association — The River Trail at 600 Righters Ferry Road — $250,000
• Schuylkill River Development Corporation — Schuylkill Crossing and Grays Ferry
• Schuylkill River Development Corporation — Schuylkill River Trail South Street to Christian Street — $250,000
• Upper Dublin Township — Cross County Trail and Road Diet — $250,000

These are the grants that are related to the Circuit Trails:

• Center City District — Reading Viaduct Project Phase 1 — $125,000
• Chadds Ford township — Trail Connections (Walkable Chadds Ford Village) — $110,000
• Chalfont Borough — Park and Trail Connector Project — $150,000
• City of Philadelphia — Mantua Greenway — $100,000
• Doylestown Township — Doylestown Township Sensory Trail — $221,190
• East Goshen Township — Paoli Pike Trail — $52,500
• Friends of the Wissahickon — Valley Green Road Pedestrian Trail — $225,000
• Limerick Township — Limerick Trail Segment 11B — $250,000
• Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities — City of Philadelphia Bike Share Program — $300,000
• Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities — Expanding Philadelphia’s Bike Share Program — $799,585
• New Britain Borough — Station to Town Center Connector Trail — $150,000
• Philadelphia Museum of Art — Path Restoration Mount Pleasant Estate in Fairmount — $65,089
• Pocopson Township — Trail Related Support Facilities — $250,000
• Riegelsville Borough — Riegelsville Trail — $196,000
• Upper Darby Township — Planning and Construction of Upper Darby Recreational Trail — $202,600
• Upper Merion Township — Park and Recreation Master Plan — $40,000
• Worcester Township — Zacharias Creek Trail Extensions — $202,428