Schuylkill River Trail: Difference between revisions
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When complete, the trail is planned to run from the river's headwaters in [[Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania|Schuylkill County]] to [[Fort Mifflin]] in [[Philadelphia]], a distance of about 140 miles; [[as of 2007]], several complete portions of trail exist, including a section from [[Auburn, Pennsylvania|Auburn]] to [[Hamburg, Pennsylvania|Hamburg]], a 19.5 mi portion from [[Reading, Pennsylvania|Reading]] to [[Pottstown, Pennsylvania|Pottstown]] and a 23.2 mi portion from [[Oaks, Pennsylvania|Oaks]] to Locust Street in [[Center City, Philadelphia]].<ref>http://www.schuylkillriver.org/Resources/548/first_map.pdf</ref> |
When complete, the trail is planned to run from the river's headwaters in [[Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania|Schuylkill County]] to [[Fort Mifflin]] in [[Philadelphia]], a distance of about 140 miles; [[as of 2007]], several complete portions of trail exist, including a section from [[Auburn, Pennsylvania|Auburn]] to [[Hamburg, Pennsylvania|Hamburg]], a 19.5 mi portion from [[Reading, Pennsylvania|Reading]] to [[Pottstown, Pennsylvania|Pottstown]] and a 23.2 mi portion from [[Oaks, Pennsylvania|Oaks]] to Locust Street in [[Center City, Philadelphia]].<ref>http://www.schuylkillriver.org/Resources/548/first_map.pdf</ref> |
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[[Image:Schuylkill River Trail (Philadelphia).JPG|thumb|300px|right|The trail running along the east bank in [[Center City, Philadelphia]].]] |
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On many maps and street atlases, and on some of the trail's signage, the segment between Philadelphia and Valley Forge is still identified by the older name '''Philadelphia–Valley Forge Trail'''.<ref>{{cite book | author = ADC Map | authorlink = ADC Map | title = Street Map Book, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania | edition = 16th edition | publisher = ADC Map | date = 2001 | location = Alexandria, VA, USA | pages = Map 35 (p. 39); Map 36 (p. 40) | id = ISBN 0-87530-083-9 }}</ref> |
On many maps and street atlases, and on some of the trail's signage, the segment between Philadelphia and Valley Forge is still identified by the older name '''Philadelphia–Valley Forge Trail'''.<ref>{{cite book | author = ADC Map | authorlink = ADC Map | title = Street Map Book, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania | edition = 16th edition | publisher = ADC Map | date = 2001 | location = Alexandria, VA, USA | pages = Map 35 (p. 39); Map 36 (p. 40) | id = ISBN 0-87530-083-9 }}</ref> |
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Revision as of 23:51, 20 January 2008
The Schuylkill River Trail is a multi-use trail under construction along the banks of the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania.
When complete, the trail is planned to run from the river's headwaters in Schuylkill County to Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia, a distance of about 140 miles; as of 2007, several complete portions of trail exist, including a section from Auburn to Hamburg, a 19.5 mi portion from Reading to Pottstown and a 23.2 mi portion from Oaks to Locust Street in Center City, Philadelphia.[1]
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On many maps and street atlases, and on some of the trail's signage, the segment between Philadelphia and Valley Forge is still identified by the older name Philadelphia–Valley Forge Trail.[2]
Trail description
Auburn to Hamburg
Reading to Pottstown
Oaks to Philadelphia
The next segment of the trail begins in Oaks, at the southern end of the Perkiomen Trail and a trailhead at Pawlings Road. This paved segment runs along the abandoned trackbed of the former Schuylkill Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It runs beside U.S. Route 422 for a short distance, then runs through Valley Forge National Historical Park. After leaving the park at Betzwood, it continues along the river to Norristown, where it crosses over U.S. Route 202 and runs through the middle of Norristown Transportation Center.
The trail continues eastwards, now paralleling the SEPTA R6 rail line. On entering Conshohocken, it passes through industrial areas, passing under Interstate 476 and intersecting the local Cross-County Trail.
Philadelphia
Shortly after crossing into the city of Philadelphia, the trail segment ends. Trail traffic is briefly directed onto Nixon and Shawmont Streets, crossing the R6 rail line at the discontinued Shawmont Station.
The trail continues southeastward, unpaved, along the former Manayunk Canal[3] towpath of the Schuylkill Navigation System, passing through the neighborhood of Manayunk to the end of the towpath at Lock Street. Trail traffic is then directed onto the sidewalk of Main Street and Ridge Avenue to Fairmount Park, where the trail meets the southern end of the Wissahickon Trail. Trail traffic then continues along the sidewalk or bike path of Kelly Drive, which widens into another section of paved multi-use trail.
The trail then winds alongside the bank of the Schuylkill through the park, passing under many railroad and highway bridges and past several monuments. It runs through Boathouse Row and the Azalea Garden behind the Philadelphia Art Museum, and next to the Fairmount Water Works. After that, the trail runs along the riverbank on the west edge of Center City Philadelphia as a waterfront linear park known as Schuylkill Banks to its current end at Locust Street.
History
Many current and proposed sections of the Schuylkill River Trail, including the Thun Trail and the Oaks to Philadelphia portion, are rail trails, following the right-of-way of the former Schuylkill Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Live catenary wires are still in place above the trail between Norristown and Philadelphia, providing power for what is now Amtrak's Harrisburg line.
The Shawmont to Manayunk portion of the trail runs along the towpath of the historic Schuylkill Navigation System.
Future
Several portions of trail are expected to be completed by 2008, including Pottsville to Auburn, Hamburg to Shoemakersville, and Cromby to Parkerford. The remainder of Pottstown to Oaks will be "built in successive years". The remaining sections, from Shoemakersville to Reading and from Locust Street to Fort Mifflin, do not yet have a definite timeframe.[4]
References
- ^ http://www.schuylkillriver.org/Resources/548/first_map.pdf
- ^ ADC Map (2001). Street Map Book, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (16th edition ed.). Alexandria, VA, USA: ADC Map. pp. Map 35 (p. 39), Map 36 (p. 40). ISBN 0-87530-083-9.
{{cite book}}:|edition=has extra text (help) - ^ http://www.manayunkcanal.org/index.htm
- ^ http://www.schuylkillriver.org/Resources/548/Trail%20Updates.pdf
