Trail route unveiled, public meetings could come in spring

Plans are continuing to take shape for a new trail meant to connect the Route 202 Parkway with Montgomery Township’s Community and Recreation Center.

Township officials had their first look Monday at the proposed trail connection, which would run behind the township administration building and the Joseph Ambler Inn.

“What we have done in the last couple of months is walk out there and ID some environmental features that we’re trying to avoid: some wetlands, swales and stormwater facilities,” said engineer Joe Platt of township consultants Traffic Planning & Design.

For parts of the last two years, township staff have been discussing the possibility of an eastwest trail running parallel to Horsham Road and meant to connect the north-south trail at the 202 Parkway with a loop of trails running around the rec center, on the southeast corner of the intersection of Horsham and Stump roads. In January 2016 the township applied for state grant money, and in March 2016 received $850,000 to fund construction of the trail; the township’s match will cover the design process, which Platt updated the supervisors on Monday night.

The preliminary design Platt showed the supervisors would have the new trail run northeast from the 202 Parkway trail, approximately even with the point where the roadway’s southbound turn lanes begin. The trail would run northeast, then curve east as it nears the edge of the Joseph Ambler Inn property, and continue on a roughly straight line before crossing a small creek at the rear of the TRAIL >> PAGE 4

SUBMITTED PHOTO A site plan showing route of proposed trail connector to be built behind Montgomery Township building and Joseph Ambler Inn, north of Horsham Road and between Stump Road and the Route 202 Parkway. Plan developed by Traffic Planning & Design and...