Authored By: The Circuit Trails | January 15, 2025

The year has just begun, and Philadelphia is already on the path to connecting more of the region through the Circuit Trails. On Jan. 10, Philadelphia was awarded a combined $15 million in federal grant funding for three major trail developments to close transportation gaps, increase safety and prepare for future development. These funding wins in Philadelphia are a direct result of the consistent effort of Circuit Trails Coalition members to apply for funding and our community’s use of and demand for trails. These three projects will bring us another step closer to completing and funding 500 miles #OnTheCircuit by 2025. 

A $13.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under its Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) will fund two key extensions that will connect pieces of the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT).  

The funding will be used to construct the Wissahickon Gateway Trail (WGT) in Manyunk and the Passyunk Connection in Kingsessing and Elmwood in Southwest Philadelphia. Both projects will close crucial gaps in the SRT, completing a 39-mile, multi-use trail between Pottstown in Montgomery County and Southwest Philadelphia, outside of one small 0.65-mile on-road connection. 

The Wissahickon Gateway Trail

The WGT will provide a 2,000-foot multi-use trail and bridge, offering a safer mode of transportation for pedestrians and cyclists whose previous access was limited to a narrow shoulder and sidewalk. 

The Passayunk Connection

The Passayunk Connection will extend the SRT by approximately 4,500 feet along the Schuylkill riverbank, connecting to multiple corridors and neighborhoods in South Philadelphia. What was formerly a dead end will in turn become a commuter trail for the neighborhood that offers a direct, and free, transportation option to get to Center City. This addition will connect people to more schools, theaters, restaurants and jobs. Two centers are underway on each side of the Passayunk Connection–the Lower Schuylkill Biotech Campus and the Bellwether District–that are estimated to bring 23,000 jobs to this area of the city. 

The Richmond Industrial Track

Additionally, a $2 million community planning grant from U.S. DOT’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program will advance a plan to reconnect neighborhoods through the Richmond Industrial Track Development, a freight rail line that divides the Fairhill and Kensington neighborhoods. The grant will fund a study aimed at addressing safety, mobility and quality-of-life issues caused by the Richmond Industrial Track. The study will engage residents and stakeholders in creating a community-driven plan to find solutions that will improve access to essential services and promote development. This initiative is part of a broader vision to reimagine the freight trail as a vibrant, accessible space for the community, which would include connections to the larger Circuit Trails network. 

You can learn more about these projects and other developing sections of the Circuit Trails by exploring this interactive map of the network. To keep the momentum going and the Circuit Trails moving forward, help us continue to demonstrate that the Circuit Trails are valued and in-demand spaces by simply getting outside and using them!  

Show us how you enjoy spending time on the Circuit by tagging us in posts on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok using the hashtag #OnTheCircuit.