Public Invited to April 5 Regional Trail Study Meeting

Proposed trail corridors through the Greater Pottstown Area

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Justin Keller, regional recreation coordinator for the Pottstown Area Regional Planning Committee.
The public is invited to the first of a series of public meetings designed to get input on proposed trail corridors connecting with the Schuylkill River Trail.

The draft study outlines a plan for expanding existing public trail systems via four primary trail corridors anticipated to travel through portions of Pottstown, West Pottsgrove, Upper Pottsgrove, Douglass (Berks), Lower Pottsgrove , Douglass (Mont.), New Hanover, North Coventryand East Coventry.

The public meeting will be held at 6 p.m., April 5,  in Pottstown Borough Council Chambers located in the third floor of borough hall, 100 East High Street. 

The meeting will begin with a presentation of the primary trail draft alignments before opening for a question and answer period, and recommendations from those in attendance.

The purpose of this study is to consolidate municipal and county planning efforts into a unified regional trail plan addressing major obstacles to providing equitable transportation alternatives, opportunities for healthy lifestyles and economic vitality. 

The results of this study will help guide communities in determining the most feasible locations for these trails, outline a concise implementation plan to integrate local trail networks and provide a marketing vehicle to obtain implementation grants.

For more on the proposed trails, check out this Mercury article from Feb. 13.

Funding for this study was made possible by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. DVRPC is leading the planning study with assistance from the Pottstown Area Regional Recreation Coordinator.

For additional information please contact Justin Keller at PARRCoordinator@gmail.com or 484-945-0200

Building Bridges in Douglas (Montgomery), Literally and Figuratively

Photo by Evan Brandt

Justin Keller, recreational circuit rider for the Pottstown Metropolitan Area Regional Planning Committee, left, asks the Douglass Township Supervisors if they would like help with grant writing or planning for the township's open spaces and parks development plans.

I had a choice between at least three township meetings last night -- Upper Pottsgrove, Lower Pottsgrove or Douglass (Mont.)

I chose Douglass because A) Township Manager Peter Hiryak was kind enough to e-mail me the agenda ahead of time; B) the agenda for Upper and Lower, as shown on their respective web sites both seemed equally non-consequential; and C) I had not been to Douglass since Anthony Kuklinski was named the chairman of the board of supervisors.

The meeting was over in a half hour, but there were updates on how Douglass handled the Winter Storm Jonas; what regional recreation planner Justin Keller can do for Douglass and what's going on with the County Line Road Bridge project.

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