New Stretch Of Schuylkill River Trail Opens In Southeastern PA

CHESTER COUNTY, PA —A new two-mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail between Linfield Road at Parker Ford, East Coventry Township, to the Route 422 bridge in North Coventry Township opened Friday afternoon in celebration of Earth Day.

The new section is the first part of a $6 million project to pave four miles, taking the trail from Linfield Road to the new Route 422 bridge crossing over into Montgomery County.

The trail goes along the Route 422 highway, which is congested on weekdays due to an influx of development in northern Chester County and western Montgomery County.

The Schuylkill River Trail can be used by walkers, runners, and bicyclists to commute to avoid congestion on Route 422.

“This is the perfect day to celebrate more miles of the Schuylkill River Trail,” Josh Maxwell, vice chairman of the Chester County commissioners, said of the ceremony attended by several hundred spectators.

Maxwell said the wait for the trail to open was worth it, as confirmed by the hundreds of thousands of people who use the trails every year for walking, jogging and cycling - not just recreationally, but also for commuting.

“The benefits of having trails close to home are plenty, and they are proven,” Michelle Kichline, commissioner, said.

“Trails provide safe places for physical activity, which can improve mental, as well as physical health. The option for travel and commuting by trail has obvious environmental benefits.”

Kichline said larger trails like the Schuylkill River Trail are also economically beneficial, because they have the power to drive tens of millions of dollars in tourism and revenue for local businesses.

The second phase also includes construction of a new trailhead parking lot at Linfield Road and the resurfacing of 5.75 miles of the trail.

With the completion of the second phase, the Chester County section of the Schuylkill River Trail is parallel to the Schuylkill River from the Route 422 Bridge at Pottstown, south to the Route 29 bridge into Mont Clare, a distance of approximately 12 miles.

County officials said the four-mile extension is important because it will complete one of the priority “puzzle pieces,” helping fill gaps in the nearly 60 miles of trail connecting Reading to Philadelphia.

Others participating in a ribbon cutting ceremony were Mike Walsh, deputy secretary of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Lou Belmonte, PennDOT acting executive director; Sarah Clark Stuart, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia; and Ray Kolb, East Coventry Township supervisor.

The ultimate goal for the trail is to provide 120 miles to walkers, joggers, and bicyclists extending from Frackville, Schuylkill County, to Philadelphia. So far, 77 miles are complete.

Chester County’s group of regional trails includes the Schuylkill River Trail, the Chester Valley Trail and the Struble Trail. Combined, the three trails attracted 896,000 users in 2021. For more information, and maps of all three trails, visit www.chesco.org/trails.