Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Commissioners support Circuit Trails plan
The Chester County commissioners adopted a resolution in support of the area’s Circuit Trails plan.
WEST CHESTER >> Trails for hiking, biking and walking are playing an increasing role in the recreational and economic status of the Philadelphia-area region, a fact acknowledged through the adoption last week of a resolution by the Chester County commissioners in support of the area’s Circuit Trails plan.
“Building the Circuit Trails is considered to be one of the largest metropolitan-wide, multi-use trail building efforts in the country,” the resolution, approved by all three commissioners and signed on Thursday, stated. The trails, “will provide safe and equitable transportation options for all users, and will connect communities to places to work, shop, worship, play, experience history and teach our children.”
The Circuit Trails network is a connected system of multi-purpose trails located in the greater Philadelphia area that, when complete, will comprise more than 750 miles of trails in the region. In the county, there are currently 34 miles of trails connecting to the circuit, and a total of 66 more miles are planned.
The county is the first of the nine counties in the Delaware Valley to formally endorse the initiative, spearheaded by the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. This action helps to support the coalition’s short-term goal of 500 miles of trails by 2025. Members of the county’s coalition, including Executive Director Sarah Clark Stuart, attended the session to view the signing.
The resolution, “endorses completion of the Circuit Trails comprising over 750 miles of current and planned trails in Chester County and the region, and supporting the designation of the existing Schuylkill River Trail, Chester Valley Trail, Struble Trail, Brandywine Trail, Uwchlan Trail and other trails to be added to the network within Chester County as “Circuit” trails.”
There are a total of 556 existing miles of public access trails in the county, counting multi-use, limited use, and single use, according to Brian Styche, the county Planning Commission’s Transportation Services director, who gave a presentation of the Circuit Trails to the commissioners on Tuesday.
Commenting on the resolution, commissioners’ Chairwoman Michelle Kichline noted that developing multi-use trails such as the circuit provides, not only promotes physical activity, but also encourages connectivity and alternative transportation. “By now most people recognize that trails are a wonderful source of recreation, but we know that they also add value to the properties adjacent to the trails, and play an important role in Chester County’s economic development strategy,” she said.
Stuart applauded the commissioners, “for taking the lead and passing this resolution. It is partners that make it possible for us to build out the Circuit Trail system that connects people to their communities and to their work, and having a completed cir-
cuit trail network in our region distinguishes us as one of the most completed urban and suburban trail networks in the country.”
May is National Bike Month, and the county’s network of trails allows for events such as the Annual Bike to Work Challenge, organized by the Transportation Management Association of Chester County on the Chester Valley Trail, and the Bike to Work with the Commissioners event on the Schuylkill River Trail, organized by Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association, both on Friday, May 19.
The Chester County Planning Commission will also be holding a public meeting on Wednesday, May 31 to present a feasibility study and master plan to extend the Chester Valley Trail west to Downingtown, and link with the Struble Trail and the East Branch Brandywine Trail. That meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the West Whiteland Township Building. For more information go to http://www.chescoplanning.org/transportation/cvte.cfm.