Construction of segments that will close the gap from Ship Road to Iron Lake Blvd. It is flat, shady and immaculately maintained. hb```}|@(a}):W{`,O2%(\zPZcGGG1b l@n 3p%X$ `a6bRV-,58'ob+Yb^%u #W! Nice trail with smooth asphalt for inline skating. Map of the Cross County Trail in Montgomery County. Drivers always slowed down for us to cross. MARKINGS!!! An official website of the Chester County Government. There is a parking lot off S. Warner Rd. walkers too. It's mostly flat, though, heading back West was a BIT more difficult than the ride East. This extension of the existing 13.5 mile trail will provide connections to the existing Struble and East Branch Brandywine Trails in the Downingtown area. Montgomery Countys fully accessible 5-mile portion of the Chester Valley Trail now links the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown to the existing segment in Chester County that extends 14.5 miles west from Tredyffrin Township to Exton. Pursue grant funding for design, right-of-way, and construction of the Chester Valley Trail Extension. Started in the car park at the western end and rode all the way to KoP. (Courtesy Montgomery County). There are also many cross streets which will slow your time considerably, even though most of them are secondary roads. The trail is asphalt all the way, and virtually level. Highlight was on the east end there is a Wegmans Super Store just off the trail. Would recommend to families, runners, walkers alike! Visit the TrailLink map for all options and detailed directions. Definitely recommend for a family bike ride. The Potential Alignments exhibit illustrates all of the alternatives being evaluated towards extending the CVT and providing connections to the existing Struble and East Branch Brandywine Trails. However, the fact that several major segments remain unbuilt, necessitating lengthy detours on busy roads, give the trail a low overall rating. Riding east, there is 2 miles round trip east of the trailhead off of S. Warner Rd; as w. the western end of the trail, it's ugly but at least more interesting. Some are ok and easy, some are a lot more difficult. (Courtesy of Montgomery County). The cost is estimated to be $1.5 million, which will be paid for using county bond funding, a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant, and a grant from Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Regional Trails Program/William Penn Foundation. If you are looking for a quiet bike ride in a beautiful setting, I would not suggest it. Within Montgomery County, the Chester Valley Trail passes through three municipalities: Upper Merion Township, Bridgeport, and Norristown. Will definitely ride it on our next trip to PA. The additional mileage is coming to the Chester Valley Trail and the Schuylkill River Trail. The Chester County Planning Commission is proud to release the final Chester Valley Trail Extension to Downingtown Feasibility Study and Master Plan. The Chester Valley Trail Extension project is a 3.8-mile expansion of the Chester Valley Trail completed in March 2023. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Completed in 2010, this segment is already very popular with cyclists, in-line skaters, hikers, joggers, dogwalkers and parents pushing young children in strollers. Ask us a question or send an idea for a story you think we should cover. Join TrailLink (a non-profit) to view more than 40,000 miles of trail maps and more! west to the Exton Wal-Mart. Thanks you to the Parks & Recreation Guys who have taken care of the trail and kept it plowed, ice free and safe this winter! Lots of shade & nice suburban neighborhoods to ride through. The trail surface was all asphalt and was in superb condition; no buckling, smooth as glass. So, if you are riding this trail roundtrip and want to be riding downhill on the return trip, then I suggest that you park at the King of Prussia Trailhead. Duane Morris investigation into Central Bucks finds no discrimination against LGBTQ students, Shapiro signs first bill, expands Pa. health insurance coverage for breast cancer screenings, 3 unions at Rutgers University have reached tentative agreements. Some sections of CVRT are quite lovely; passing by parks and wooded areas. There are lots of road crossings, and road noise from Route 202, but it was so pretty! The Chester County Planning Commission (CCPC) completed the Chester Valley Trail Extension Study (CVTE) which investigated alternatives and determined a recommended alignment for extension of the Chester Valley Trail (CVT) from its current terminus in Exton into the Borough of Downingtown. We found it well maintained, paved and wide. Many points of access as the mostly tree-line trail runs besides neighborhoods, corporate parks, and shopping centers. The only crossing that is a real pain is going over Route 100 if you want to ride past Main Street at Exton. The 1.3-mile section from Joshua Road to Stenton Avenue is projected to start construction in 2023. I'm just curious what the plan is, if anyone knows. Overall, I think CVRT is more a commuter trail than recreational trail. Lots of bikers, walkers and families on this trail but majority were friendly as you passed. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. This Phase will be about 1.25 miles. For a few miles you are riding next to I-76 so you will hear traffic but it is not deafening. I have a pretty poor sense of direction and never once had an issue finding the trail, just look for the green trail signs at road intersections. There are mileage markers almost every half mile, and also some signs for points of interest. Chester Valley Trail Chester Valley Trail - 4a In Progress 6.34 1.04 Schuylkill River Trail Parkerford Road to Route 422 In Progress 5.71 4.11 Brandywine Creek Trail P&T Trail to Robbins Road Pipeline 5.83 0.30 Chester Valley Trail CVT Extension to Downingtown - P&T Line Pipeline 9.86 6.68 There is a 0.8-mile spur trail that splits from the main route by the intersection of Commerce Drive and S Pottstown Pike/Main Street. We've started at both the Exton end and the King of Prussia end (2 different days) and in both cases rode about 7 miles to Media, where we had lunch, and then did the return trip. Possible alignments are looked at the Route 30 Multimodal Transportation Study. (NJ drivers are less likely to stop than PA drivers.) Looking forward to the extension towards Exton which looks. The Chester Valley Trail will generally follow a now-abandoned rail corridor and will connect Chester Countys Struble Trail in Exton with Montgomery Countys Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown. I like having access to it at different points. despite what the map may indicate. Got a question about life in Phillys suburbs? I have ridden the paved portion many times with my seven year old daughter and she has no problems making a round trip. This trail does track w/ R-202 along KoP which can get pretty noisy but for the most part its pretty quiet, hence the 4 stars, not 5. Yes, some slight slopes, but nothing serious. I found the use of audible signals or vocal warnings by those passing is also infrequent. Those two pieces are projected to be completed by the end of 2024. This is a great trail for those that want to get in a good workout either running or biking without battling the hills of Chester County. I'm anxioust to ride end-to-end. (Courtesy Montgomery County). The Chester Valley Trail now stretches 13.5 miles in Chester County, from the Montgomery County border and running through Tredyffrin, East Whiteland, and West Whiteland townships. the trail crossed a road. Our first ride on the CVT was our last. And there is a massive hill between that area, and where the Downingtown Trail is along 322. Trail category: Greenway/Non-RT. The location is home to one of the largest concentrations of employment and population in the Philadelphia region outside of Center City, and the trail provides a key connection of "The Circuit . It runs too close to major highways making it quite noisy in spots. Luckily, I saw a gentleman and his daughter unloading bikes and asked - well, it was STILL not the easiest to find! Sign up for our weekly newsletter. I biked this trail for the first time a week ago, end to end - just short of 15 miles each way. All in all, this is a great trail and I'll be doing this again. In other areas, homes and office parks are along the way. Because of all of the rain this, have ridden this & other paved trails more than I would like. I have a Mountain bike, but this trail is good for road bikes as well. It is a nice long trail with things to see and do easily accessible from the trail. Started at the North Gulf road. Help defend and expand trails nationwide. 29 you need to zig and zag and wait for the traffic light and as you continue east the trail goes through the Target/Wegman's parking lot. The trail has a slight downhill grade from the Exton Trailhead to its southwest end (Between Rt 100 and S.Whitford Rd) and is about 2 miles one way. If you are travelling a bit to get here and ride this trail you may want to hold off until it's finished because the KOP section is only a little over a mile. SEPTA wants to streamline bus services in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, and implement microtransit zones an on-demand door-to-door transit service. But that takes you to Boot Road. First, in Exton, the crossing at Rt. Does anyone have firm facts about the path that the existing Chester Valley Trail is going to use to get to Downingtown? The westernmost segment runs for 0.8 miles in the vicinity of the Main Street at Exton shopping center. PennDot really needs to put in a crosswalk for the trail and walkers on the south side of Commerce Dr. As previously stated, the trail surface is smooth and well maintained. The CVT is well-maintained, paved, offers shade on hot days, and provides links to numerous residential, commercial, and recreational areas, making it perfect for cyclists, in-line skaters or walkers. . Within Montgomery County, the Chester Valley Trail passes . About the Trail Formed in 1850 by the Philadelphia and Reading Company, the Chester Valley Railroad stretched 22 miles between Bridgeport and Downingtown.The Chester Valley Trail will generally follow a now-abandoned rail corridor and will connect Chester County's Struble Trail in Exton with Montgomery County's Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown.Chester County is expecting to extend the . Alternately, Downingtown also has the Streubel Trail, on the other side of town. Two of them had pedestrian yields that at least meant I could cross. Agree some parts were not scenic and were near busy roadways but crossings were safe and clearly marked. The westernmost portion, through the still largely undeveloped Exton Park, has an uneven, gravel and stone surface, which gives way to smooth asphalt next to the Valley Corporate Center and continues east to Route 29. The county will also connect that part of the Cross County Trail at Stenton Avenue to the Wissahickon Trail with a new 2-mile extension. The trail is suppose to be 12 wide and it is in places but at most crossings it is a maze to get through especially when the traffic is heavy and a wide range of people from novices to experienced road bikers who are impatient with the rest of us. The study made 3 recommendations: In 2011 Tredyffrin Township did a feasibility study to examine a connection from the Chester Valley Trail to the Paoli Train Station. Have ridden this trail several times. A map of the Chester Valley Trail and its new extension in Montgomery County. Public Meeting #2: 'Alternatives Analysis Review / DRAFT Recommended Alignment' was held March 30th at the West Whiteland Township Main Meeting Room. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Your donation will help us to continue connecting more people to trails around the country. Used it for the first time last week. The other dangerous intersection is at Foundry Way in Malvern. The new 3.9 miles will run through Upper Merion Township and Bridgeport Borough to Norristown, where it will then connect with the Schuylkill River Trail. Along the trail are some new bridges one in Bridgeport over railroad tracks, one above South Gulph Road in King of Prussia, and one over Henderson Road in Upper Merion Township. WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program (CMAQ). Save for the small, unpaved section between Ship Road and the Valley Creek Corporate Center, each completed segment is user-friendly. So MORE SIGNS and BETTER MARKING is a MUST! I will definitely be back for speed work and I will probably use it for my longer runs (10+ miles). I'm basing my rating on comparison to other trails I've ridden. But going further has major road crossings, and one enters into a major commercial area, and about a mile or so past that, the trail simply stops. I am only giving this trail three stars, not because the trail is a poor experience, but it is a short trail for me, and there are numerous road crossings. The construction of the Chester Valley Trial extension to Downingtown will be completed in two phases. Lose to opening. In addition, recommendations are made for providing on and off-road connections between the P+T line, Struble Trail, and East Branch Brandywine Trail through Downingtown. The paved trail will be 12 feet wide, off-road, and designed for both cyclists and pedestrians for recreation and commuting. Found it to be much easier to run on than the Valley Forge Freedom Trail since there were far less cyclists riding at high speeds. They are rarely on the trail and more so in the nearby woods. The Trestle Bridge may be renovated for . Chester Valley Trail spans 18.6 from Schuylkill River Trail by Trail Junction Center (75 E Lafayette St, Norristown) to 0.3 mile west of Indian Run St & Commerce Dr (Exton) . The Chester County Parks & Recreation Department opened this trail in 1979 on part of a former Pennsylvania Railroad right-of-way. I WILL be back, probably many times. 501 0 obj <> endobj 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 . A look into SEPTAs new transit systems proposed for the Philadelphia suburbs. States: Pennsylvania. Yes, there are road crossings. The only drawback is crossing several roads which could be a challenge at busy times, and could be a negative for bikers. Good track to work on your speed. It is primarily shady and completely flat which makes it perfect for long training runs. The trail surface is paved in asphalt that is fully ADA accessible. Several new bridges have been constructed to carry the trail over local roads, while a few underpasses and culverts left over from the railroad, have been refurbished. A popular well kept asphalt trail of 14 miles. The Chester Valley Trail is currently 18.6 miles in length with 13.5 miles open for use in Chester County and 5.1 miles open to the east in Montgomery County. Its shaded much of the way and successfully hides the fact that it runs very close to the 202 expressway. Image via the Chester County Planning Commission. At its full length, the Chester Valley Trail is planned to run from Atglen at the Chester County line to the Schuylkill River. There are about a dozen road crossings, a couple across major highways. Ironton Trail near Coplay PA & the southern Henry Hudson Trail near Freehold NJ are also paved & shady, but they are no where near as long. We take a break while he plays on the playground and then off we go, back towards home. This is a well built trail that travels down Pennsylvania's Great Valley. It's mostly flat and straight, but there are some short hills on the few on-street segments. Picked up the trail for an evening ride at Church Farm Lane which is the border between Exton Park and Valley Creek Corporate Center. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? There is also parking at businesses and small shopping centers including Worthington which includes Wegmans and Target at Route 29 (Morehall Road). Clean trail and a decent amount of tree coverage at most points for those hot sunny days. Liked the fix it stations. . Localized trails can link to the veins and the capillaries in the larger system. On top of that, truck traffic is extremely heavy and frequently blocks the intersection. So there ends up being lots more stop and go along the path. A 3.8-mile eastward extension to Norristown opened in March 2023 and connects the trail to theSchuylkill River Trail, which creates access to Valley Forge National Historical Park to the north and Philadelphia to the south. You will really enjoy this one! Trail is crowded with multiple users- bikes, jiggers, skateboarders, etc. For a newbie, these crossings were sometimes confusing. Most is shaded and the cars were very good about stopping when Final Report. This is not for riders looking for speed, because as mentioned in other reviews, the trail is shared with walkers, runners, strollers, skaters and training wheels. A 3.8-mile eastward extension to Norristown opened in March 2023 and connects the trail to the Schuylkill River . But I would not want to bike this route on a weekday. You can get to Valley Forge National Park either via The Schuylkill River Trail or via the trail system in Chesterbrook (being formerly developed as part of the Patriot's Path to Valley Forge). However, the multiple stops can get annoying if you are used to riding trails with long uninterrupted stretches. I drove up from Wilmington De and it was close to a waste of time and effort. There is lots of green space on both sides of the trail so that most of the time you don't realize that you are in the middle of quite a built-up area. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I road this trail. Second complaint - I rode east to around Mile 5.0, then turned around. It was understandably busy. The Downingtown Trestle Bridge, built between 1903 & 1906, is 1451 feet long and 122 feet high over the Brandywine Creek. This extension connects the Chester Valley Trail with the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown. Loved having retail on both ends for drinks/snacks. Looking forward to more rides! estimated completion in November 2013 from Paoli,cedar hollow road to Valley Forge Park. The road noise, mostly from 202, and the several crossings (Rt 100 could really benefit from a bridge) stop me from giving it 5 stars. I recommend starting at KoP to make the return trip slightly downhill. It's not congested like the Schuylkill River Trail. All in all, I would say that the portion of the trail that I saw was very nice. Chester Valley Trail extension spotlights connection to Norristown's Schuylkill River Trail. The Exton end is very flat while the King of Prussia end has a few not-too-difficult hills. Plans call for extending it westward to Downingtown. Its just a little boring. Just needs to be MARKED better at several places! All Rights Reserved. Youve got to build that basic infrastructure that provides the broad access that you can then tie into and connect, he said. While the Chester Valley Trail West Study completed . Complete a comprehensive feasibility study for the Chester Valley Trail. After some lunch - off to Exton where we reached the (dead) end of the trail! Highly recommended!! It was a weekday so I did not have any problems with traffic. Chester County is expecting to extend the trail into Downingtown. In the future, extensions to the trail will allow . Once completed, the Chester Valley Trail will form a prominent link in southeast Pennsylvania's emerging greenway network, with connections to the Uwchlan and Struble trails, several local parks and Valley Forge via Patriot's Path, another multi-use trail currently in development. The trail will be constructed to be 10-12 feet wide with an asphalt or concrete surface. The rail-trail ends in another 2.4 miles after passing through the community of Exton. Chester County park rangers patrol the trail. Trail is perfect--not even a crack. If you're riding the entire trial, all the crossing can become a bit burdensome. Definitely more downhill slope going towards King of Prussia. Length: 2.5 miles. The Road crossing at Rt 100 is rather bizarre. This feasibility study and master plan will pick up where the Chester Valley Trail Extension to Downingtown study leaves off and will identify and evaluate potential routes for extending the Chester Valley Trail (CVT) westward across the county to connect with the future 29-mile multi-use Enola Low Grade rail trail . It IS a really nice trail! This trail is perfect for local residents. Youll pass several small parks with picnic tables: DAmbrosia Park at 4 miles, Cedar Hollow Park at 6.6 miles, and Ecology Park at 10.1 miles. The design will enable people with different capacities and abilities to use the trail system, whether its because of your age or a handicap or some other disability, Hartman said. Starting from the King of Prussia trailhead I found the trail too close to busy streets for me. Montgomery County Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites, Chester County's Exton Park Site - 132 Church Farm Lane, Exton, Battle of the Clouds Park - 125 N Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, East Whiteland Municipal Building - 209 Conestoga Rd, Malvern, West Whiteland Municipal Building - 101 E Commerce Drive, Exton, Battery powered wheel chairs by persons with disabilities, Strollers, including those connected to bicycles, Equestrian use, including horseback riding or carriage use, Motorized vehicles, including motor vehicles (excluding authorized vehicles). So the Chester Valley Trail was a site for sore (hamstrings) eyes! As of late 2011, three major segments of the trail, which is being constructed along an abandoned rail line that once connected Downingtown to Norristown and allowed freight trains to bypass Philadelphia, have been built in Chester and Montgomery counties. Montgomery County officials are moving forward with two major trail projects that will make it easier for folks to travel through the county on foot or bicycle. :). TWICE, on the way back, I LITERALLY got LOST! Complete municipal or multi-municipal bicycle/pedestrian/trail plans to identify potential local connections to the planned regional trail network, including the Chester Valley Trail and West Branch Brandywine Creek Trail. In the 3.1 miles out, I crossed 4 roads. Once this occurs, the Chester Valley Trail will form part of the Schuylkill-Susquehanna Passage, a long-distance greenway that will connect Harrisburg and Philadelphia. Otherwise, the proximity to 202 and the numerous road crossings makes the trail feel choppy and you never really feel disconnected from suburbia. Very well-kept and nicely made. There are a fair amount of road crossing with two being busy four lane highways but they all either have signals or stop signs. Town Tours & Village Walks Program Wraps up 27th Year, Brownfield, Greyfield, & Infill Development. I completely agree that the trail has many crossings, which can be difficult to navigate (not for markings, but for motorists who are not really attentive). Worth the travel from Maryland. Formed in 1850 by the Philadelphia and Reading Company, the Chester Valley Railroad stretched 22 miles between Bridgeport and Downingtown. Current plans call for adding five more miles to the countys 22-mile-long network of paved pedestrian trails. When the missing link is completed in Montgomery County it will connect to the Schuylkill Valley Trail. Fortunately, this will likely change in the next few years, as major sections between Route 29 and Warner Road, and King of Prussia and Norristown, will close two of these gaps and create an unbroken trail from Ship Road to the Schuylkill River Trail. Pretty flat. 542 0 obj <>stream Doubt that I'll do all 28 miles in the future: a) Riding west, the rt. There are many township parks and Valley Forge National Park along the trail or that connect to the trail. The Chester Valley Trail is a multi-use, rail-to-trail facility that roughly follows U.S. endstream endobj startxref 100 in the next phase and eventually all the way to Downingtown so you cannot yet gain access at Ship Rd. The easternmost segment, in Montgomery County, extends from Warner Road east across the Schuylkill Expressway to South Gulph Road, and was built during a major highway reconstruction project. And don't get your hopes up when you see the 0.5 mile sign, there is still another mile or so to go. From that point, Montgomery County has built a link over the Schuylkill Expressway to South Gulph Road in Upper Merion. One of those is Battle of the Clouds Park, located 1 mile past Ecology Park, where the trail crosses Phoenixville Pike. The entrance into the park near Church Farm School is not marked and the parking lot is not complete. Another time I wouldn't go further west than Rt 100 until the trail is extended further toward Downingtown, which, apparently, is to happen soon. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The park commemorates a Revolutionary War attack in 1777 that was foiled by a horrific thunderstorm that drenched the soldiers gunpowder.Another 1.3 miles ahead is Exton Park, which covers 727 acres and features a pond, picnic sites, and trails. Chester Valley Trail. Superb trail as far as smooth and maintained, but the road noise from Rt 202 made parts of the trail unbearable. It's an easy 30mi (end-to-end and back again). I went to the East end and then to Rt 100. First envisioned in 1991, the numerous disjointed segments of the Chester Valley Trail are finally starting to come together. The Chester County Commissioners accepted the plan at their December meeting to close out the grant provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Community Conservation Partnerships Program that partially funded the study. Enjoy! Fairly flat, and blacktop from start to finish, an easy ride even for beginners. We will be sticking to the tried and true, bike friendly, Schuylkill River Trail. View or download a copy of the Chester Valley Trail Extension Feasibility Study and Master Plan. When complete, the $6.2 million project will run 17.5 miles across the county, from the Schuylkill River Trail in Conshohocken to the Pennypack Trail in Upper Moreland and Bryn Athyn. This trail is paved, 12 feet in width, and will eventually be 22 miles long. The paved rail-trail rolls for just under 19 miles between King of Prussia and Exton, encouraging a variety of users, such as stroller-pushing parents, colleagues on a walking meeting, or cyclists seeking a quick 40-miler.The trail uses the corridor of the Chester Valley Branch of the Reading Railroad, which was completed between Bridgeport and Downingtown in the 1850s; the line hauled freight into the late 20th century (passenger traffic ended in 1935).
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