It was a pleasant sun-soaked day last Thursday when a horde of governmental and non-profit dignitaries united to announce a new name for the Delaware Valley trail network, some of which is currently being planned and built.
In other words, it was a perfect afternoon for a bike ride or a walk. In fact, many of the speakers at Center City's Schuylkill Banks for the unveiling of the new name biked or walked the Schuylkill River Trail and/or city streets to get there, as bike/ped advocates announced a new effort to unify the regional trail system now known as The Circuit.
The
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, which is an influential partner in the coalition, anticipates the region’s trail network expanding three times from its current 250 miles to 750 miles in the next 20 to 25 years. While there’s currently no source of funding in place for such a rapid expansion, it’s clear from the press conference that politicians, foundations, and non-profits alike are interested in funding trails. An additional 50 miles of trail is currently being built across the region.
The Circuit is bolstered by a groundbreaking, 34-member coalition consisting of non-profits, foundations, and governmental agencies all across Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey. On the Pennsylvania side, the coalition consists of members such as the
Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and the
Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area – two groups that are more focused on Philly’s distant suburbs. All of the suburban counties are represented through their planning commissions and departments. The city is represented through a few agencies, the
Schuylkill River Development Corporation, and other non-profits.
The Circuit Coalition is so geographically diverse because its members believe that trails are beneficial to connecting urban, suburban, and even exurban residents to each other.
“The trail system ‘The Circuit’ is really about connections,” says Barry Seymour, the executive director of the
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), which took an active role in organizing the coalition. “You can really appreciate the communities you’re traveling through (by biking through them on a trail).”
On the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, the
Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, Camden City and County, state Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and state Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) are all involved. At the press conference, Camden County assemblyman Angel Fuentes underscored The Circuit’s importance for the Garden State. “The trail network is bringing new energy to Camden and the entire South Jersey region,” says Fuentes, who cited trails as a means of connecting residents in his district to jobs, school, mass transit, and other necessities.
Other speakers echoed the vital role that trails play in connecting all people across the Delaware Valley. Trails help connect “across class, across race,” says Jeremy Nowak, president of the
William Penn Foundation, which affirmed its commitment to trails through a $10 million grant for design and construction. “
The Circuit Coalition also revealed a new website, called
Connect the Circuit, on Thursday. The website enables regional trail users to plan their trip through Google Maps, gives advocates advice on how they can help to support trails and active transportation, lists important events, and features a blog with local bicycle/pedestrian news. The website was created by the Bicycle Coalition in collaboration with local tech entrepreneur Geoff DiMasi at
P’unk Ave.
The Circuit was the coalition’s favorite name out of hundreds of submitted names, some of which were rather off-the-wall. The name was coined by David D’Alba a Fairmount resident, avid bicyclist, and videographer at
Urban Engineers. D’Alba was awarded $250 for entering the winning name.
ANDY SHARPE is development news editor of Flying Kite. Send feedabck here.