The East Coast Greenway Master Plan and Needs Assessment

With funding by the City Trusts, Clean Air Council recently completed the East Coast Greenway in Pennsylvania Master Plan and Needs Assessment. Each chapter of the Master Plan and Needs Assessment highlights one of the 6 segments of the East Coast Greenway in Pennsylvania, and includes:

• Before and After Conceptual Drawings
  
• A Route Map
  
• Descriptions of Trail Highlights
  
• Descriptions of On and Off-road Routes
  
• A Needs Assessment
  

The goal of the Master Plan and Needs Assessment is to allow anyone interested in the Greenway to understand how the greenway has developed historically, what stage of development it is in presently, and what is needed to complete the trail in the future.

This Master Plan will next be used to implement physical improvements along the trail route. The physical improvements will include, bringing lights, benches, kiosks, signs and even pavement to the Pennsylvania Trail. Clean Air Council began these improvements in spring of 2002 with the installation of an East Coast Greenway kiosk in Penn Treaty Park.

• To view the Introductory Chapters of the East Coast Greenway in Pennsylvania Master Plan and Needs Assessment, CLICK HERE.
  
  
• To view the Route Map and Conceptual Drawings of the 1st segment of the East Coast Greenway in Pennsylvania, CLICK HERE.
  
  
• To purchase a copy of the East Coast Greenway in Pennsylvania Master Plan and Needs Assessment, contact Emily Linn, Transportation Program Manager at Clean Air Council.
  

The Trail Route
The Pennsylvania Committee has determined the overall route of the East Coast Greenway through Pennsylvania.

In Pennsylvania, the East Coast Greenway begins in Morrisville, PA where travelers cross the Delaware River using the historic Calhoun Street Bridge from New Jersey. The trail then runs through Bucks County adjacent to the Delaware River until it reaches Center City Philadelphia. In Center City, it uses Spring Garden Street to cross the city. Moving next through West Philadelphia, it parallels the Schuylkill River until it reaches the Delaware River at Fort Mifflin, behind the Philadelphia International Airport. The trail next travels along the Delaware through Delaware County until it reaches the Delaware State Border.

The Interim On-Road vs. Permanent Off-Road Routes
The Pennsylvania Committee has decided that, at first, most pieces of the East Coast Greenway will need to run on existing road facilities until off-road counterparts are complete. Completion of off-road trails may be hindered by the presence of industry, zoning, lack of funding, or, as is often the case in southeastern Pennsylvania, a dense commercial, residential, or industrial backdrop.

However, it is the goal of the East Coast Greenway Alliance to have 80% of its 2,600 miles of trails off-road within the next 10 years. The highly developed nature of southeastern Pennsylvania may prevent the completion of that goal. Nevertheless, Clean Air Council and the Pennsylvania Committee are committed to developing off-road facilities wherever possible.


To keep abreast of the development of the East Coast Greenway, become a MEMBER, MILE-SPONSOR, or CORPORATE SPONSOR of the East Coast Greenway and receive our quarterly newsletter The Mile Marker.