Hal Schirmer
Sun, 11 Aug 2002 06:59:36 -0700
2-county trail closer to reality http://www.phillyburbs.com/intelligencerrecord/news/news_all/1646393.htm
By Greg Coffey It would follow the old trolley way from East Norriton to Quakertown. NORRISTOWN —From 1912 to 1933, a ticket aboard the Liberty Bell Trolley from Philadelphia to Allentown cost $3. The trolley ceased operations in 1951, but area officials are hoping people will soon be able to make the trip again and for even less money than in the early 1900s. A $52,000 study is under way to determine whether a recreational trail for walkers, joggers, bikers and in-line skaters can be built along the former Liberty Bell trail. The trolley, which traveled through Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh counties, was designed so area residents could visit the cities of Philadelphia, Norristown, and Allentown, and so city residents could visit the rural areas. That's exactly what officials are trying to do with the proposed trail, which would stretch from East Norriton to Quakertown, said Pam Learned, executive director of the North Penn Regional Improvement Association. "The trail, if constructed, is going to be a regional amenity," Learned said. The Liberty Bell Trolley roughly traversed the route American patriots used when they sneaked the Liberty Bell out of Philadelphia and brought it to Allentown to hide it from the British during the American Revolutionary War in the 1770s. The proposed trail would follow that same path, though it would have to be modified in some areas because parts of the trail have been built upon and other parts are now roads, Learned said. The Liberty Bell trail is part of Montgomery County's plans to build 12 trails in the county that will eventually become part of an area network of trails spanning several counties. However, this trail is the only one that requires cooperation between officials from two counties, said Curt Bish, a senior planner with the Montgomery County Planning Commission. When county officials developed the trail plan in the mid-1990s, they focused their efforts on the Perkiomen Trail, which opened earlier this year. At the time, the Liberty Bell trail had no sponsor, so Learned's organization decided to take the reins, and brought together officials from the 16 communities the trail would pass through. "It was pretty unanimous that (the trail) was something the group wanted to pursue," Bish said. Rich Brahler, a transportation planner with the Bucks County Planning Commission, expects that residents would use the trail extensively. "I would imagine it would see a great deal of use. Trails are very popular these days," he said. The feasibility study, headed up by Waetzman Planning Group of Bryn Mawr, is funded by a $30,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and by donations of up to $3,000 from each of the 16 communities involved. The study will determine whether it is possible to build the trail, and what obstacles will be faced if officials go ahead with the project, Bish said. Though it's possible a continuous, 25-mile trail might not be viable, it's almost certain that parts will be constructed, Bish said. If construction goes forward, Bucks and Montgomery officials will have to seek easements from scores of businesses and private residents, and the study will most likely give an estimate of what the cost of the project will be. Bish hopes to have a decision on the project within eight months, he said. The study committee met for the first time in June and will meet again later this month. A Web site is planned to give residents information about the trail, public hearings, and when the committee will meet, Bish said. For now, to find out more information about the Liberty Bell Trail, go to www. npria.org. Greg Coffey can be contacted via e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED] August 11, 2002 ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the Bicycle Coalition of the Delaware Valley list named "bike." To subscribe or unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.