Plans call for five new miles of Chester County trails - Daily Local
Almost 900,000 pedestrians and bicyclists a year will be able to spread out a little bit more as Chester County adds on to its busy 22 miles of paved pedestrian trail network. Immediate plans call for five new miles of trails.
The Chester Valley Trail stretches 13.5 miles in Chester County from the Montgomery County line and through Tredyffrin, and both East and West Whiteland townships, with a planned one-mile extension to the west.
Bidding and construction will likely start this year. The cost of approximately $1.5 million will be paid for with county bond funding in addition to a Pa. DCNR grant, and grant from DVRPC Regional Trails Program/William Penn Foundation.
Four miles will soon be added this spring to the 5.75 mile Schuylkill River Trail located in East and North Coventry townships. The cost for the extension is $6.2 million, with 100 percent federal reimbursement through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program.
The Struble Trail runs 2.6 miles along the Brandywine Creek in and near Downingtown. Hurricane Ida damage that had shut down a portion of the trail was recently repaired.
Use figures as determined by Chester Valley Trail Counters showed 477,092 users of the Chester Valley Trail, 68,225 on the Schuylkill River Trail and 350,713 along the Struble Trail, during 2021.
Dave Stauffer is the Director of Chester County Parks and Preservation and a huge advocate of the trails.
“More and more people are using the trails — especially the Chester Valley Trail and the Schuylkill River Trail — as commuter options,” Stauffer said. “The trails are a great opportunity to get out and get fresh air and exercise.”
Long-term plans include adding four or five miles to the western end of the Chester Valley Trail now at Exton to connect with Downingtown.