Authored By: The Circuit Trails | December 30, 2024

This year has been filled with trail expansions, connections, completions and celebrations. As we approach the new year and step closer to achieving our goal of 500 miles in 2025, we want to travel back and reflect on some of the significant moments that happened #OnTheCircuit in 2024.

A Year of Expansions and Connections #OnTheCircuit

Expansion of the Circuit Trails Coalition Community Grant Program

The Circuit Trails Coalition Community Grant Program expanded thanks to new federal funding from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) has awarded two-year grants to an additional six organizations, bringing the total number of grantee partners to 16.

Check out how the six new grantees will further increase access to outdoor recreation through community-based, culturally relevant projects and programs.

Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties Unite to Extend Cresheim Trail

The Friends of Cresheim Trail (FOCT), Independence Youth Cycling (IYC), including youth mountain bike teams SoMont Cycling and Philly Wiss, along with local volunteers and Cresheim Trail enthusiasts, successfully extended the Cresheim Trail to the border of Montgomery County. The event brought together more than 50 volunteers, ranging from ages eight to 78, who worked to enhance recreational spaces in the Philadelphia area.

The extension connects the existing trail network at Germantown Avenue with Stenton Avenue, moving the Cresheim Trail toward its ultimate goal of reaching Fort Washington State Park to the northwest and Cheltenham Township and the Tookany Creek Trail to the east.

Learn more about the collaborative spirit and engagement within the counties.

Pennsy Trail Bridge and Expansion

Photo courtesy Haverford Township

In September, Haverford Township officials and residents celebrated the extension of the Pennsy Trail that begins at the Haverford YMCA and runs to Llanerch Shopping Center on West Chester Pike. A segment of the trail also features a constructed bridge that spans Manoa Road.

Experience a visual recap of the celebration.

A Year of Completions #OnTheCircuit

This year, 3.98 miles were completed on the following trails:

Bridge Street Crossing Completed

Photo courtesy Pennsylvania Environmental Council

In April, the 0.1-mile Bridge Street Crossing along the Delaware & Lehigh Trail in Morrisville closed a crucial trail gap in Philadelphia. This connector now provides 75 miles of uninterrupted multiuse trail from Allentown to Bristol. The project, which began in 2012, consists of two ramps and a street crossing creating an ADA-accessible connection along the D&L Trail.

Portion of Fox Chase Lorimer Trail Completed

Photo courtesy Philadelphia Parks and Recreation

The Fox Chase Lorimer Trail added 0.45-miles of shared-use trail for pedestrians and cyclists along the former SEPTA Fox Chase Rail Line’s Newtown Branch. The trail serves as an ADA-compliant off-road connection with access to the Pennypack Trail.

Pennypack Path Connector Trail Opened

Photo courtesy Daniel Paschall Photography

This year, the Pennypack Path Connector Trail officially opened. This new segment links the Pennypack Path and Pennypack Trail, creating a 10.3-mile connection from the Delaware River in Philadelphia to Bucks County.

Additional Completed Trail Segments

Delaware River Heritage Trail – 5^th Street trail to Walnut St Spruce St – 0.11 miles

Delaware River Heritage Trail – Front St to Eyre St – 0.33 miles

Dinosaur Trail – E College Dr Trail – 0.34 miles

Neshaminy Creek Trail – Coleman Segment – 0.34 miles

Chester Valley Trail – Chester Valley Trail to Ship Rd – 0.46 miles

Chester Creek Trail – Mint Trail – Underpass to Wawa Station – 0.38 miles

Darby Creek Trail – Jack McDonald Memorial Field Trail – 0.10 miles

Newtown Square Branch/Naylors Run/Pennsy Trail – Vernon Rd to Manoa Rd – 0.37 miles

Cross County Trail – Commerce Drive to Rapp Run – 0.56 miles

Gulph Road Connector – Freedom Dr to First Ave – 0.26 miles

A Year of Celebrations #OnTheCircuit

50^th Anniversary of the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park

Photo courtesy D&R Canal Watch

On Oct. 10, the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park celebrated its 50^th Anniversary! The D&R Canal State Park, a 70-mile trail in central New Jersey, is the second most visited park and one of the most popular trails in the Circuit Trails network.

To bring the community together for this milestone, the D&R Canal Watch created a Tour de Towpath, a series of cycling, running and walking events along the towpath.

Major Funding Wins

Sustained federal, state and local funding are critical to the development of the Circuit Trails network. This year, the network secured a significant level of investment that will help us get even closer to our goal of 500 miles.

In July, the Circuit Trails received $120 million in federal funding from the Carbon Reduction Program to connect Spring Garden Street Greenway, Cross County Trail, Chester Valley Trail and Route 291 Trail/East Coast Greenway. Paired with additional funding from other government and private sources as part of the Pennsylvania Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for fiscal year 2025, the total funding is more than $200 million.

Additionally, $139.1 million was secured for the following trail projects in 2024:

Burlington-Camden Trail: 32^nd to 36^th Street – $588,000 from NJ Bikeways

Camden County LINK Trail: Segment 1D-3 – $3.3 million from New Jersey Regional Transportation Alternative Set Aside (NJ RTA SA)

Chester Creek Rail Trail – $2.2 million

• $300,000 from the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Financing Authority Multimodal Transportation Fund (PA CFA MTF)
• $1,500,000 from the Pennsylvania Transportation Alternative Set Aside (PA TASA)
• $378,960 from the Pennsylvania Local Share Account (PA LSA)

Included: Phase 2 and Knowlton Road Trailhead Parking Expansion

Chester Valley Trail – $8.7 million

• $393,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resource Community Conservation Partnership Program (PA DCNR C2P2)
• $500,000 from the PA DCNR C2P2
• $907,000 from the PA CFA MTF
• $6 million from the Carbon Reduction Program (CRP/CRPU)
• $940,000 from local funds

Included: Boot Road Trailhead, Downingtown Trestle, Enola Low Grade Segment and P&T – Phase 1

Circuit Trails Line Item – $64 million

• $10.7 million from Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ)
• $53.3 million from the CRP/CRPU

Cobbs Creek Trail: Segment B2 – $1.5 million from the PA TASA

Cresheim Trail – $100,000 from the PA DCNR C2P2

Included: Germantown Avenue Crossing to Stenton Ave

Cross County Trail – $42.4 million

• $7.6 million from the CRP/CRPU
• $1.7 million from local funds
• $3.9 million from the CRP/CRPU
• $966,000 from local funds
• $5.9 million from the CRP/CRPU
• $1.5 million from local funds
• $500,000 from the PA LSA
• $20.4 million from the CMAQ

Included: Wissahickon Trail to SEPTA’s Fort Washington Station, Section A-C and Extension

D&L Trail Crossing Study – $100,000 from the Pennsylvania Transportation and Community Development Initiative (DVRPC)

Darby Creek Trail – $457,000

• $57,000 from the PA DCNR C2P2
• $400,000 from the PA LSA

Included: Various segments in Delaware County and Extension

Delaware River Trail Extension: Columbia to Lehigh – $210,000 from the PA CFA MTF

Frankford Creek Greenway – $1.8 million

• $1.5 million from the PA TASA
• $250,000 from the PA CFA MTF

Included: Adams Ave to Worrell St and Phase III

Harrison Trail: Main Street to Mullica Hill Bypass Crossing – $1.4 million from the NJ RTA SA

Marine Terminal Trail and Cooper Field Connector – $2.1 million from the NJ RTA SA

Norris Street Complete Street – $1.3 million from the PA TASA

PA 291/East Coast Greenway in Chester City – $2.5 million from the Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Grant Program

Power line Trail: Upper Moreland –$2.5 million from the PA TASA

Rancocas Creek Greenway: Historic Smithville to over US-206 – $2.6 million from the NJ RTA SA

Schuylkill River Trail – $747,781

• $247,781 from the PA LSA
• $500,000 from the PA DCNR C2P2

Included: Manayunk Towpath to Railroad Tie Wall Restoration and Schuylkill Banks to Riverbank Stabilization

US 202 Trail: Easton Road Bridge – $700,000 from the PA TASA

With the help and support of trail users and community activists, we will continue this momentum and reach our goal of 500 miles by 2025. To follow the progress and development of the Circuit Trails, view this map that shows the status of the trails (with updates on existing, in-progress, pipeline and planned projects) in the network.

We look forward to celebrating more trail expansions, connections, completions and celebrations with you #OnTheCircuit in 2025! Stay up to date, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Happy New Year!