This trail is such a tease, because once it is fully finished it will be a great ride. But on this trap I had a great ride from the Malvern trail head. But that takes you to Boot Road. Alternately, Downingtown also has the Streubel Trail, on the other side of town. 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. Separately, King of Prussia has committed to complete their 2 mile connector section by 2013 which will connect the Chester Valley Trail to the 50+ mile Schuykill River Trail system. Smooth surface the entire length of the trail and the shade from the trees in the hot days of July was a plus. The new trail was constructed as a 10- to 12-foot-wide, paved, multi-use path that is part of the Circuit Trails network, a vast regional network of hundreds of miles of multi-use trails in the Greater Philadelphia region . Instead of taking one directly across Rt 100, one is forced to divert 90 degrees away from the trail (heading northbound) to cross over Commerce Dr and then cross over Rt 100 (paralleling the trail), and then cross the opposite direction on Commerce Dr (Southward) to return to the trail on the west side of Rt 100. Currently, a 5.1 mile section is complete, connecting Montgomery County to Chester County. Does anyone have firm facts about the path that the existing Chester Valley Trail is going to use to get to Downingtown? Battery-powered wheelchairs, dog walking under leash, and strollers are also permitted. There are a fair amount of road crossing with two being busy four lane highways but they all either have signals or stop signs. The trail extension project included the installation of two new pedestrian bridges at South Gulph Road and Henderson Road, and the enhancement of two existing bridges. Love it if could connect to VF park trail, but overall a great trail whether biking, running or taking the dog for a walk. Users will eventually be able to take the Cross County Trail to the Wissahickon Trail, Power Line Trail, Cresheim Trail, and the Schuylkill River Trail into Philadelphia. This took me out to the parking lot by Wegman's. I will definitely be back. The extension will cost $6.2 million, and it will be fully funded by federal reimbursement through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program. The extension will cost $6.2 million, and it will be fully funded by federal reimbursement through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program. Very well-kept and nicely made. Our suburban reporters want to hear from you! Yes, some slight slopes, but nothing serious. The historic Reading Railroad is planning a comeback as Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority holds its first meeting. Chester County is expecting to extend the trail into Downingtown. hbbd```b``+@$SdExA$40,8`q L|` l@Z ".D@1#cmT#30}0 Kn It was a weekday so I did not have any problems with traffic. (Courtesy of Montgomery County). 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. 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. We will go back after a few more trails to see if we still think the same. Constantly looking over my shoulder for cyclists. The Chester Valley Trail Extension project is a 3.8-mile expansion of the Chester Valley Trail completed in March 2023. The good news for bicyclists is that the trail is flat, wide, smooth, and fairly scenic as it winds past parks, forested land, and streams. The Chester Valley Trail is a planned multi-use trail from Downingtown to Norristown. One was in a development and had no traffic. Looking forward to more rides! Parking is available at a number of locations along the trail. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. walkers too. At some point during your activities on this trail, you will come across dear. The trail surface is paved in asphalt that is fully ADA accessible. On hot days, we can detour to Wegmans and grab a cold snack. 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. Would recommend to families, runners, walkers alike! When is soon? The middle segment, currently the longest, runs almost 4 miles from Ship Road east to Route 29. 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. It is great to have a trail so close to the Mainline. In icy/snowy conditions the trail may be closed until parking and access areas are addressed. I have ridden the paved portion many times with my seven year old daughter and she has no problems making a round trip. It has already completed a feasibility study for one section. According to Trail markings, bicycle speed is limited to 15 miles per hour. But, there are a lot of BUSY road crossings on this trail; most with road crossing signals. I highly recommend biking 14 miles one way but do not make the return trip. As mentioned in the other reviews this trail will become a significant part of the overall Philadelphia/SE PA region trail network in the future but the immediate "phase 2" expansion begins in April 2012 and will result in 15 miles paved from Exton to King of Prussia by 2013. Hours of operation are from 1/2 before sunrise to 1/2 hour past sunset. 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. a wide variety of athletes will find it very accommodating. 100 is chaotic! The westernmost segment runs for 0.8 miles in the vicinity of the Main Street at Exton shopping center. The trail takes visitors over the Schuylkill River in Norristown and provides access to view the new fish ladder at the Norristown Dam as well as opportunities to visit various shops, restaurants, and art galleries along the way. And there is a massive hill between that area, and where the Downingtown Trail is along 322. The Chester Valley Trail Extension is a planned 3.8-mile extension of the Chester Valley Trail. This feasibility study and master plan continues the planning work from the Chester Valley Trail (CVT) Extension to Downingtown study and recommends the primary routing for the remainder of the CVT westward through Chester County. This morning it was overflowing. This trail is perfect for local residents. (NJ drivers are less likely to stop than PA drivers.) I quite literally DID NOT KNOW WHERE the trail was! Does anyone know for sure how exactly they're going to connect where the trail currently ends (at Walmart basically, in Exton), to the existing Downingtown Trail that runs along 322? For a newbie, these crossings were sometimes confusing. That would be nice to include on the trail information page. (Courtesy of Montgomery County). Several of the crossings are by bridge or tunnel and some are on the street. Check or FAQs for more common login questions. Join us at Chester Valley Trail West Public Meeting, Planning Commission Releases Final Plan for Chester Valley Trail Extension to Downingtown, Download a full copy of the final report and watch a short summary video of the recommended improvements. Find more trail information and detailed trail maps on TrailLink.com. You can see a lot of time and money has been put into this trail since it crosses over a number of roads. This trail is wide and paved. What is the Chester Valley Trail Extension? 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. The 1.3-mile section from Joshua Road to Stenton Avenue is projected to start construction in 2023. Length: 2.5 miles. Around the 8 mile point, the scenery is more open, with farms along the trail. It IS a really nice trail! 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. Not too difficult and the trail is shady so for an August day it wasn't too hot. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Note: we started at the King of Prussia end and rode to Exton, but the last mile or so of the trail was closed. I saw a lot of different types of bikes, recumbents, rollerblades, runners! I really love the trail and live close to Wayne. 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). Trail category: Greenway/Non-RT. This is an very good suburban rail trail that passes by a variety of businesses and residential areas. Initially, the trail goes along some very congested real estate, but the sound barriers do muffle the traffic noise so in portions it is very nice, heavily wooded on both sides, and in some places refreshingly cool. They're pretty easily managed. 100 in the next phase and eventually all the way to Downingtown so you cannot yet gain access at Ship Rd. I did this trail back in 2011 and was not thrilled. In the 3.1 miles out, I crossed 4 roads. I did not cross Rt 29 (not necessary if only doing a 10 mileryou can run a little more near the parking lot in Exon to supplement the small shortage), but all other street crossings were simple and very well marked. The trail is great. The Trestle Bridge may be renovated for . I love this trail. The trail is paved the entire way and crosses several busy roads, but each intersection is clearly marked and passable. In the less congested western end, the trail utilizes short tunnels to cross US 202 and Swedesford Road.Theres no lack of fast food and restaurants in the retail centers along the eastern segment. Also be aware that you get a lot of noise from the traffic on nearby Rt 202 - it was noticeable and sometimes unpleasant, even without my hearing aids. At its full length, the Chester Valley Trail is planned to run from Atglen at the Chester County line to the Schuylkill River. Work on the Chester Valley Trail has been ongoing since 1991 when representatives from Montgomery County, Chester County, and PennDOT first envisioned it. 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. The CVT gets a bit dense with crossings, cars and highway noise at either end. This proposed segment of the Chester Valley Trail would connect the currently planned terminus in Downingtown to the Enola Low Grade Trail in Lancaster County. There's construction at the main intersection in Exton at the moment about a mile-ish from the trail end. MARKINGS!!! I'm basing my rating on comparison to other trails I've ridden. Work by Chester and Montgomery Counties began in 2009 to convert the railbed into a trail. It will offer access to Philadelphia and the western parts of Montgomery County. if you don't mind backpacking, there are great green areas to stop along the way and have a snack. It is primarily shady and completely flat which makes it perfect for long training runs. pts 4 downingtown train station rail station, parking, ped access bp 2 chester valley trail extension to downingtown multi-use trail bp 3 chester valley trail: exton to oaklands multi-use trail bp 12 brandywine trail ext: bradford av to boot rd multi-use trail bp 30 business 30: lloyd ave to train station streetscapes Yes, there are road crossings. This trails brings me such joy! :( OK so NOW the GOOD! TWICE, on the way back, I LITERALLY got LOST! The Road crossing at Rt 100 is rather bizarre. . Help defend and expand trails nationwide. The railroad roadcut - dating from the mid-1800s - was a cool oasis of green walls. The Chester Valley Trail is also part of the Circuit Trails, a developing 800-mile urban network of trails in Greater Philadelphia, of which about 350 miles are complete. Thank you to all those who backed this trail and work to maintain it. Named for the late Robert G. Struble, a teacher, conservationist, county commissioner and Brandywine Valley . Next time I'll know, but the first time was not easy. The Chester Valley Trail (CVT) is a Chester County project utilizing a former Reading Railroad right of way between Chester County's Struble Trail in Downingtown Borough, through the length of Tredyffrin Township, to the Chester County/Montgomery County line in King of Prussia. Formed in 1850 by the Philadelphia and Reading Company, the Chester Valley Railroad stretched 22 miles between Bridgeport and Downingtown. A look into SEPTAs new transit systems proposed for the Philadelphia suburbs. Chester County pedestrians and bicyclists will soon be able to spread out a little more. It was not tranquil especially during rush hour. The second phase will take the trail over US 30 and into Downingtown. Wide and clean, this trail is well suited for recreational riders. It runs too close to major highways making it quite noisy in spots. But I would not want to bike this route on a weekday. I highly recommend it! Not one rough spot in the paving, not one piece of trash on the entire 14 mile length. On March 13th, 2023 a 3.8 mile extension of the Chester Valley Trail officially opened in Montgomery County. Worth the travel from Maryland. 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 . All blacktop! I almost never give out 5 stars and never give out a single star so a three is not bad in my book. Starting from King of Prussia (South Gulph Road Parking Area) and riding out to West Whiteland Township Trailhead (Main Street at Exton), the ride is relatively flat with a slow and constant elevation gain. The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox. So I visited the trail for the first time today. Because of all of the rain this, have ridden this & other paved trails more than I would like. Drivers always slowed down for us to cross. Highlight was on the east end there is a Wegmans Super Store just off the trail. In Exton, the crossing at Rt 100 is a mean 3-way dog-leg. East Branch Brandywine Trail Facts. I don't know? All Rights Reserved. We started in King of Prussia and before long were at Wegman's in Malvern. This should be on all trails. This will likely change once future segments are finished. Pursue grant funding for design, right-of-way, and construction of the Chester Valley Trail Extension. 542 0 obj <>stream 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 . Will definitely be back. To get from Clover Mill Road to Boot Road, and then down 322 to where the existing trail begins, there is a massive hilly area. Become a member and wear your FREE T-Shirt with pride. The Chester County Planning Commission has officially unveiled a recommended route for the Exton-to-Downingtown extension of the Chester Valley Trail. Overall, I think CVRT is more a commuter trail than recreational trail. It is a favorite destination for walkers, runners, families, and bikers since it is convenient to a large population. Fourth very nice bathroom and parking area at Exton Park on Church Farm Road. 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. At its eastern end, the rail-trail connects to theSchuylkill River Trail inNorristown. at the more northern end of the trail. Chester Valley Trail Extension to Downingtown . The extensions recommended alignment is to develop the trail within the inactive Philadelphia and Thorndale low-grade rail corridor which parallels the Amtrak Keystone Corridor or the Main Line between Exton and Thorndale. On the plus side, if you take your shopping cart with you, it passes by Wegmans, Target, Walmart and every other big box store along its way, with convenient access to all their parking lots. Each segment of the trail is at different stages in the development pipeline either already existing, under study, in engineering, or under construction, Hartman said. Very well maintained with good shade. Exton to Downington Section: The construction of the Chester Valley Trial extension to Downingtown will be completed in two phases. From that point, Montgomery County has built a link over the Schuylkill Expressway to South Gulph Road in Upper Merion. It also seemed to be a very good trail for families and I noticed many out for a group bike ride. 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. Park benches were pretty common, too. 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. The intersection is large, so by the time you're in the middle of it, traffic is inbound and they barely slow down! 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. The bad is that you will need to keep a close eye out for the many walkers, runners, strollers, and families. The project was funded primarily by the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), along with capital improvement funds provided by Montgomery County. Also a lot of stops because of those roads. I like having access to it at different points. WHYY provides trustworthy, fact-based, local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community. Highly recommended!! The trail is paved from Morehall rd to N Ship rd except for about a mile. It's not congested like the Schuylkill River Trail. Lots of stops to cross traffic. So there ends up being lots more stop and go along the path. 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. Park at either Exton Park or the trailhead off of S. Warner Rd, and you can get a 28 mile ride; the former has a restroom, while the later has a port-a-john. West of Church Farm School towards Exton the trail is unpaved and becomes packed gravel then old train bed with large rocks and weeds. despite what the map may indicate. Cons - The scenery is less than ideal. The Chester Valley Trail currently runs from Exton, in Chester County, to the Schuylkill Expressway in King of Prussia. However, the multiple stops can get annoying if you are used to riding trails with long uninterrupted stretches. Also, its heavily used on the weekends making for a crowded ride. Together we can reach 100% of WHYYs fiscal year goal. We had a blast singing thru the tunnels and got a kick out of having our own bridges over traffic (what is the point otherwise). I'm anxioust to ride end-to-end. Our cub scout troop rode the 6 mile section and added part of the unpaved "phase 2" section, parts of which requires hybrid tires until it is paved. 100 intersection is not worth crossing --> 3 crossings, plus the trail west of it is both short & ugly (1 mile round trip). The trail is asphalt all the way, and virtually level. Only major crossing is at rte 29 by Wegmans but even there it's ok - wait for the crossing light. Started in the car park at the western end and rode all the way to KoP. 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. After some lunch - off to Exton where we reached the (dead) end of the trail! The Downingtown Center is centrally located in Chester County, about 10 miles from the Exton Center. Is the plan to connect to that?? Nice trail in great condition. Portions of the trail are parallel to, or coincide with, 18th Century, Revolutionary War movements by Washington's Continental Army and British General Cornwallis' troops, after the Battle of Brandywine in September 1777. Chester County is actively working to extend the trail an additional five miles to the west into Downingtown with the first one mile leg currently under engineering review. Went for a bike ride on this trail with my boys and it was fantastic! Can't wait for the expansions to be completed in the coming years and ride from Downingtown to Philadelphia. Though the trail is incomplete (the goal is to tie in with the Schuylkill River Trail) it runs through established neighborhoods as well as farm land along an old right of way that is more greenway than suburban. The completed $20.2 million trail will be 22 miles long. The result will be an amazing trail system for uninterrupted long trail rides. A popular well kept asphalt trail of 14 miles. The Chester Valley Trail Extension project is a 3.8-mile expansion of the Chester Valley Trail completed in March 2023. (Courtesy Montgomery County). Trail is perfect--not even a crack. Good track to work on your speed. Longer-term plans anticipate extending the trail even further west, to Atglen, where it will join the new Enola-Low Grade Trail. Picked up the trail for an evening ride at Church Farm Lane which is the border between Exton Park and Valley Creek Corporate Center. 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. There are mileage markers almost every half mile, and also some signs for points of interest. Meet Our New Community Planning Director, Bill Deguffroy! States: Pennsylvania. Other riders were friendly and there were Smooth asphalt trail and well maintained with lots of shaded areas. I spent an hour trying to get to it off of ship road and route 30. As part of the Chester Valley Trail Extension project, this 11' lane will widen to 13' after . Final Report. SURE, it's EASY for someone who knows it already, which obviously includes those who designed it and put it together, and don't realize where the "fails" in the markings are, and NEXT time, and there WILL BE next TIMES, I'll know, but, again, there are places where it needs to be better marked. 501 0 obj <> endobj As compared to the Perkiomen or Schuylkill trails, CVT is like city riding. To cross Rt. estimated completion in November 2013 from Paoli,cedar hollow road to Valley Forge Park. Currently part of the trail is under repair so there is a clearly marked detour but that added 2 more crossings on a busy road. The trail would be just over a mile long and expand the practicality of connecting these two major transportation facilities. This gives rise to multiple road crossings, and many are signal controlled, especially at major crossings. Be careful here. Complete a comprehensive feasibility study for the Chester Valley Trail. The trail . 0 View Final Report; View Final Appendix; Project Description. 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). Within Montgomery County, the Chester Valley Trail passes through three municipalities: Upper Merion Township, Bridgeport, and Norristown. Emily Rizzo is WHYY News suburban reporter covering Bucks and Montgomery counties. The Schuylkill River Trail stretches from Philadelphia to beyond Reading with many connecting trails which will result in an uninterrupted trail system easily exceeding 100 miles (after connectors are completed-check back in 2013 for that ride). This is my new favorite trail. I recommend starting at KoP to make the return trip slightly downhill. The other dangerous intersection is at Foundry Way in Malvern. endstream endobj startxref The access at Exton Park is great with parking and restroom. Once implemented, there will be an additional 10.1 miles of trail including three new trailheads and connections to the existing Struble and East Branch Brandywine trails in the Downingtown area. Copyright 2023 American Community Journals, LLC |, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. 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. Enjoy. Just need to be attentive around mile 7.5 when the trail seems to end -- it doesn't just need to go left at the PNC Bank. MAYBE it's me? endobj 3164 0 obj >/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[85A11EC3E497704D9DBE9723DD859F08>]/Index[3150 26]/Info 3149 0 R/Length 79/Prev 22770029/Root 3151 0 R/Size 3176/Type/XRef/W . If you are going to do this trail you really need to read a few reviews. She really enjoys going through the tunnels and over the bridges and pressing the stop traffic button at Swedesford Rd. Despite helping to provide a pedestrian link between the area's many malls, shopping centers and office buildings, this segment appears to be underused. Possible alignments are looked at the Route 30 Multimodal Transportation Study. Even saw a group walking with a large American flaga great bonus to our Labor Day ride! 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. The first section is in design and will extend the trail from Exton Town Center to near . The trail is well-maintained. Beautiful views and even have several mile of tree cover as well. Upper Dublin is taking the lead on designing and funding its section of the trail just over 4 miles from Pennsylvania Avenue up to Welsh Road. 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. It's an easy 30mi (end-to-end and back again). Luckily, I saw a gentleman and his daughter unloading bikes and asked - well, it was STILL not the easiest to find! But I WAS FRUSTRATED! In 2021, 477,092 people used the Chester Valley Trail, while 68,225 enjoyed the Schuylkill River Trail. I went to the East end and then to Rt 100. Town Tours & Village Walks Program Wraps up 27th Year, Brownfield, Greyfield, & Infill Development. We saw a park ranger marking trees for maintenance on our way, too.

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