New Pathway Connects Bucks, Montgomery County Rail Trails

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A newly-opened pathway connect miles-long trail spans in Bucks and Montgomery counties as of Wednesday, joining together the two communities' favorite walking, running, and biking routes.

Government officials, regional community groups, and trail enthusiasts came together to cut the ribbon and celebrate the pathway's opening near Southampton Train Station. The spot is a short trek from County Line Road, where Bucks County's Newtown Rail Trail meets Montgomery County's Pennypack Trail.

“This project is an example of what can happen when people put aside partisanship and work together,” said Bucks County Commissioner Chair Bob Harvie. “It’s a great example of cooperation between governments, agencies, non-profits and neighbors.”

The Newtown Rail Trail travels along SEPTA's former Newtown Branch for two-and-a-half-miles, reaching from the county line to Tamanend Park in Upper Southampton. Plus, developers plan to extend the trail into the Borough.

“This Newtown Rail Trail [as part of the] Circuit Trails belongs to the entire region and makes it more attractive to live and do business,” said Patrick Starr, Executive Vice President of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.

The Pennypack Trail in Montgomery County spans six miles to Rockledge Park.

Together, the trails are part of “the Circuit” – an 800-mile network of bicycle trails crisscrossing the Delaware Valley.

“As a self-proclaimed train geek, it is no surprise that my mind immediately goes to Promontory Utah in 1869 and the Golden Spike ceremony,” said Evan Stone, director of the Bucks County Planning Commission. “The symbolism and significance of that event is not lost on me, as we now join 'east with west' and forge a new connection upon the historic rail bed that lies beneath us.”

Design for the project was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Act 13 Marcellus Legacy Fund, Montgomery County, and the William Penn Foundation. Construction was funded through PennDOT’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program.

Design and construction costs totaled about $3.1 million, according to a news release from the county.

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