On top of that, truck traffic is extremely heavy and frequently blocks the intersection. Starting from the King of Prussia trailhead I found the trail too close to busy streets for me. 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. I biked this trail for the first time a week ago, end to end - just short of 15 miles each way. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. We found it well maintained, paved and wide. Drivers always slowed down for us to cross. I find it to be a valuable addition to our time as a family. 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). I can see it used for recreation and basic transportation. Well maintained, paved, with plenty of shade. 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. Very well-kept and nicely made. The Planning Commission is working towards determining a recommended alignment for extension of the Chester Valley Trail into the Borough of Downingtown and . I started at the King of Prussia park and ride, and biked to Exton and returned. Click to open the map in a new window. 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. 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. Very well maintained with good shade. Started at the North Gulf road. As part of the Chester Valley Trail Extension project, this 11' lane will widen to 13' after . hbbd```b``+@$SdExA$40,8`q L|` l@Z ".D@1#cmT#30}0 Kn There are several street crossings but they have pedestrian blinking lights and the crossings are well marked so I felt safe crossing with my boys. The additional mileage is coming to the Chester Valley Trail and the Schuylkill River Trail. Some covered sections provide shade. In icy/snowy conditions the trail may be closed until parking and access areas are addressed. 100 is chaotic! It's a fine trail if you like to walk or run. this is not it! 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. %PDF-1.5 % The rail-trail immediately crosses I-76 on a pedestrian bridge and heads west past retail centers and office parks along US 202. I have ridden the paved portion many times with my seven year old daughter and she has no problems making a round trip. 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 Downingtown Trestle Bridge, built between 1903 & 1906, is 1451 feet long and 122 feet high over the Brandywine Creek. Nice trail with smooth asphalt for inline skating. 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. This trail is paved, 12 feet in width, and will eventually be 22 miles long. It then continues for an additional 1500 feet before abruptly dead-ending at a clump of bushes. If you're starting from Exton, I'd recommend NOT parking near Walmart but in Raymour & Flanigan's parking lot to avoid crossing Rt 100, which is very busy! The construction of the Chester Valley Trial extension to Downingtown will be completed in two phases. Flat and paved is always a welcome reprieve from crushed stone or otherwise. Enjoy! So in conclusion, if in the area and want to get a few miles in, give this a try. There is a short section on the northern part of the trail which is more exposed to sun and Rte 202 traffic noise. We will go back after a few more trails to see if we still think the same. There are multiple places to park and access the trail, but they can be difficult to find initially. According to Trail markings, bicycle speed is limited to 15 miles per hour. Doubt that I'll do all 28 miles in the future: a) Riding west, the rt. Crossing rt. 0 29 near Wegmans is not as obnoxious as the rt. Trail category: Greenway/Non-RT. First, in Exton, the crossing at Rt. Used it for the first time last week. Note: we started at the King of Prussia end and rode to Exton, but the last mile or so of the trail was closed. We biked northeastward to the end of the trail along King of Prussia Blvd and returned to the Exton Trailhead and continued to the southwest end of the trail. 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 first section is in design and will extend the trail from Exton Town Center to near . The Chester County Parks & Recreation Department opened this trail in 1979 on part of a former Pennsylvania Railroad right-of-way. I highly recommend biking 14 miles one way but do not make the return trip. This will likely change once future segments are finished. Will definitely ride it on our next trip to PA. All in all, I would say that the portion of the trail that I saw was very nice. 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. Other riders were friendly and there were bp 2 chester valley trail extension to downingtown multi-use trail x x x x x x bp 3 chester valley trail: exton to oaklands multi-use trail x x x bp 4 enola low grade extension multi-use trail x x x bp 5 struble trail extension x x x bp 6 chester valley trail west multi-use trail x x x bp 7 paoli pike trail: airport rd to line rd multi-use . Meanwhile, the Schuylkill River Trail, which runs through East Coventry and North Coventry townships, will have four miles added to its current 5.75 miles this spring. 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 trail surface is paved in asphalt that is fully ADA accessible. The entrance into the park near Church Farm School is not marked and the parking lot is not complete. Overpasses and tunnels, which help avoid street crossings, make this a family-friendly route. I thought it was a great ride. 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. This trail is such a tease, because once it is fully finished it will be a great ride. The Chester Valley Trail extension is considered integral to Montgomery Countys trail system, Hartman said. The only drawback is crossing several roads which could be a challenge at busy times, and could be a negative for bikers. 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. In the middle, where it follows the Chester Valley Railroad bed, it is at its best. 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. Within Montgomery County, the Chester Valley Trail passes . Flat trail,asphalt paved from Exton,Pa to rte 29 in Frazer. 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. Completion of multi -use trail from Exton to Thorndale : 23.0 ROW Acquisition 2024-2030 Chester Valley Trail West Completion of trail from Downingtown to Atglen . Its how we live. Length: 2.5 miles. A couple of mild, short hills face travelers in Malvern and just past PA 29. Currently, a 5.1 mile section is complete, connecting Montgomery County to Chester County. Work on the Chester Valley Trail has been ongoing since 1991 when representatives from Montgomery County, Chester County, and PennDOT first envisioned it. Once complete this trail will connect Downingtown, Coatesville, Parkesburg, Atglen and points in between with the . (Courtesy Montgomery County). I think "they" should bring in a group of "test," first-time-on-the-trail riders, and, individually, have them see if they run into the same problems I did. 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. I ride on the trail too, but I don't understand why bikers choose to break the speed limit rule on a trail that is so frequently used by runners and walkers - especially when it is crowded. In Exton, the crossing at Rt 100 is a mean 3-way dog-leg. The trail surface is paved in asphalt that is fully ADA accessible. This was our longest ride since starting back to riding and we were wooped at the end. I love running on this trail! But I WAS FRUSTRATED! Very smooth if you are on a road bike. Chester Valley Trail - Montgomery County Parks, Trails, & Historic Sites, Chester Valley Trail - Chester County Parks & Recreation. This trail dose have some potential, I have no idea how is managing it. I rode on a Sunday, so all these roads in and out of the shopping centers and office parks in the busy Rt 202 corridor were relatively empty. This should be on all trails. Complete a comprehensive feasibility study for the Chester Valley Trail. Even saw a group walking with a large American flaga great bonus to our Labor Day ride! 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 . During substantial snowstorms, the Chester Valley Trail will be open to cross-country skiing for brief periods; however, snowmobiling and any other motorized use are prohibited. Work by Chester and Montgomery Counties began in 2009 to convert the railbed into a trail. (Courtesy of Montgomery County). 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. 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. The road crossings provide natural stopping points to re-group. Went for a bike ride on this trail with my boys and it was fantastic! At the Exton Park, there is a detailed trail sign and also indications of future trails, including the proposed route to link with the Schuylkill River Trail from King of Prussia. That would be nice to include on the trail information page. As a woman who typically runs alone, it's worth noting that I felt quite safe here (I'm not particularly paranoid but in today's times safety is a consideration now). Agree some parts were not scenic and were near busy roadways but crossings were safe and clearly marked. Its just a little boring. What is the Chester Valley Trail Extension? Despite its current, short length, this trail allows residents from communities south of the Schuylkill Expressway and Route 202 to walk or bike to the King of Prussia Mall. 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. 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. I rode the King of Prussia portion yesterday and I can't wait for it to be completed. The down side of this trail is the deafening noise from the traffic on 202 and that theres not much in the way of scenery. 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. it is best to start this trail from the King of Prussia side and ride to the end point in Exton. The 10- to 12-foot-wide asphalt path, which is open daily, 8 amsunset, has a slight uphill grade from King of Prussia to Exton. 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. Highly recommended!! Lots of bikers, walkers and families on this trail but majority were friendly as you passed. 100 in the next phase and eventually all the way to Downingtown so you cannot yet gain access at Ship Rd. This gives rise to multiple road crossings, and many are signal controlled, especially at major crossings. I'm anxioust to ride end-to-end. Trail will be extended west to Rt. Chester County park rangers patrol the trail. Chester County is expecting to extend the trail into Downingtown. Fun outing overall. 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. Brandywine Conservancy is working with Caln Township and the Chester County Planning Commission on a feasibility study for its portion of Chester County's Chester Valley Trail West extension, which the previously completed study refers to as the "Beaver Creek Trail.". WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyones stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. 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. 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. Map of the Cross County Trail in Montgomery County. Current plans call for adding five more miles to the countys 22-mile-long network of paved pedestrian trails. Fairly flat, and blacktop from start to finish, an easy ride even for beginners. The Downingtown Center is centrally located in Chester County, about 10 miles from the Exton Center. The section that I have ridden stretches from Valley Creek Rd near the Church Farm School eastward to Rt 29 near the new Wegman's - approx 4.5 miles. The bad is that you will need to keep a close eye out for the many walkers, runners, strollers, and families. Runs too close to busy highways and past shopping centers. Struble Trail Description. (Courtesy of Montgomery County). 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. The Chester County Planning Commission has officially unveiled a recommended route for the Exton-to-Downingtown extension of the Chester Valley Trail. Youve got to build that basic infrastructure that provides the broad access that you can then tie into and connect, he said. Named for the late Robert G. Struble, a teacher, conservationist, county commissioner and Brandywine Valley . The extension project also included building three new pedestrian bridges (South Gulph Road, Henderson Road, and Boro Line Road) and updating two bridges for pedestrian/bike use. 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. I have an Electra Loft. 527 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<30715B5F81D1434990890CD627567620>]/Index[501 42]/Info 500 0 R/Length 124/Prev 659292/Root 502 0 R/Size 543/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Next time I'll know, but the first time was not easy. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. My recommendation would be to drive further down (3-4 miles in the trail, around Penn medicine) and its getting quieter. Clean trail and a decent amount of tree coverage at most points for those hot sunny days. There are a few road crossings but they are well controlled by lights and the drivers in this area seem to be familiar with the trail crossings and often stop before you get to push the button for the traffic signal. That said, my husband and I have greatly enjoyed biking from Paoli to Exton with our 3 year old. There's construction at the main intersection in Exton at the moment about a mile-ish from the trail end. Exton to Downington Section: The construction of the Chester Valley Trial extension to Downingtown will be completed in two phases. The county saw 2 million path visitors in 2021, and more than 2.8 million users as of November 2022. Copyright 2023 American Community Journals, LLC |, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Incoming traffic has the right of way and does not stop. Fourth very nice bathroom and parking area at Exton Park on Church Farm Road. Overall I look forward to riding the trail again when the next expansion phase is completed. Completing this trail gap between two of the areas most significant Circuit Trails is a significant milestone in the regions trail development efforts. Ask us a question or send an idea for a story you think we should cover. These trails are flat and family friendly and often have a shoulder for running or stepping off the trail. Definitely more downhill slope going towards King of Prussia. 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. WHYY provides trustworthy, fact-based, local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community. 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. It mostly was funded with federal dollars through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program (CMAQ); Montgomery County spent about $1.97 million of its own capital funds. A nice little bridge as well as a nice little tunnel, nice scenary along the way. So there ends up being lots more stop and go along the path. The trail surface was all asphalt and was in superb condition; no buckling, smooth as glass. There is a parking lot off S. Warner Rd. I rode the entire 13.5 mile trail from King of Prussia to Exton. Overall nice trail to bike and be out of the house. I really love the trail and live close to Wayne. 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.
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