Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Bicycle and pedestrian plan approved
Also, Schuylkill River Trail 21-mile gap is top priority
Bicyclists, runners, walkers and other health enthusiasts will soon be able to enjoy Berks County’s scenic hills and valleys while commuting to work and school in a safer environment.
After 18 months of planning, including obtaining input from state, federal and local officials, the Reading Area Transportation Study group approved the 2020 Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan during a meeting earlier this month.
The plan provides a blueprint to connect neighborhoods to schools, shopping centers, offices and more by providing lanes and signage for bikers and walkers.
Michael Golembiewski, Berks County transportation planner who headed preparation of the plan, said the plan provides the community with transportation guidelines for commuters. The plan has not been updated for 10 years.
The goal is to get municipal and school officials and nonprofits to apply for grants and other funding for projects to provide sidewalks and paths for pedestrians and cyclists to get to work, schools and shopping centers.
In Berks, there are an estimated 524 miles of trails that could be used for bicycle transportation to and from work, with the Schuylkill River Trail serving as the spine of the network.
This does not include the recreational trails on Mount Penn and Neversink Mountain, and at Blue Marsh Lake and French Creek State Park.
The group concluded that connecting the 21-mile gap from Reading to Hamburg on the Schuylkill River Trail is a top priority.
And, plans to get started on the new section of the trail are already underway.
‘Premier trail’
When complete, the trail will extend 120 miles from Philadelphia to Frackville, Schuylkill County.
Elaine Schaefer, executive director of the Schuylkill River Greenways, said the section of the trail from Reading to Hamburg is the most scenic part of the trail.
“It’s stunning,” Schaefer said. “It’s on the side of a mountain. When the Schuylkill River Trail is finished, it will be the premier trail in the United States. It will have a huge regional economic impact.”
Schaeffer said the project will be done in phases, estimating it will be at least five years before the section is complete.
The next section scheduled for completion is a 4-mile stretch from Parker Ford, East Coventry Township, Chester County, to Pottstown, Montgomery County.
That section is expected to be complete in fall 2021.
The feasibility study
Schuylkill River Greenways is applying to the state Department of Economic Development’s Greenway Trails and Recreation Program for a $55,000 grant for a $70,000 study for the 21-mile section in Berks County.
Berks County and the Schuylkill River Greenways are contributing $7,500 each.
The application for the grant is expected to be presented to the Berks County Planning Commission in August.
The new section of trail will go through Reading, Muhlenberg, Bern, Ontelaunee, Perry and Windsor townships, and Leesport, Shoemakersville, and Hamburg boroughs.
The feasibility study will be completed by a professional design consultant.
According to the grant application, completing the Schuylkill River Trail through Berks County will have these benefits:
• Increased economic activity in the region.
• Better health outcomes for Berks County residents
• An alternative mode of
transportation.
• Alleviate traffic and congestion.
• Increase property values.
The Schuylkill River trail has 2 million users annually in Philadelphia and 75,000 in the suburban areas.
A partial section of the trail in Hamburg hosts 40,000 people a year. With the expansion, the number of users it is expected to rise to 60,000.
Golembiewski said the steering committee will continue to work with municipalities on plans to provide an improved network of trails throughout the county for commuters.
Other projects plan to improve curb ramps, restore sidewalks, and provide connections to surrounding counties.
The report also concluded that an improved network of bicycle and walking will result in less crashes.
Pedestrian, bike crashes
The transportation group said Berks has a problem with crashes involving pedestrians and vehicles. There are 1,265 miles of sidewalks in Berks, primarily in Reading and other older residential communities.
The study showed that of the 700 pedestrian crashes from 2013 to 2017, 679 involved injuries and 21 involved deaths.
The bulk of the accidents, or 433, occurred in Reading. There were 38 in West Reading and 27 in Muhlenberg Township.
A total of 71% of the crashes occurred at intersections, and 29% occurred at nonintersections.
The study showed that there were 165 bicycle crashes, including two fatalities, during the five-year period from 2013 to 2017.
The majority of the bicycle crashes occurred during the afternoon and evening.
Of the 165, 89 occurred in Reading with 10 in West Reading and six each in Spring Township and Wyomissing.