Narberth Gets $27,400 For Bike Infrastructure Project

NARBERTH, PA — Improved bike travel is coming to Narberth thanks to a sizable grant from Montgomery County.

The Montgomery County Commissioners announced 15 projects in the county are getting Montco 2040 Implementation Grants. The new grants continue an exciting program aimed at implementing the county comprehensive plan, Montco 2040: A Shared Vision.

Among those projects is Narberth's Bicycling Infrastructure Project.

The borough will get $27,400 to purchase and install bicycling infrastructure in its downtown to support multimodal transportation options.

Improvements include signage, bicycle parking, a public repair station, and drinking water fountain in the town center.

The area in which these improvements are placed will help to support the strong community of bicycle riders in and around Narberth and supplement recent bicycling improvements in the region, including the Cynwyd Heritage Trail.

The program is intended to assist municipalities in making targeted physical improvements that achieve real progress toward the goals of the plan and the plan’s themes of Connected Communities, Sustainable Places, and Vibrant Economy.

The grant awards account for over $1,600,000 across fifteen municipalities. The county received a total of 25 applications from municipalities totaling $3.1 million in requests. Projects were evaluated in terms of impact, county and local planning consistency, project readiness, and funding attributes by a committee consisting of Montgomery County Planning Commission Board Members and interdepartmental county staff.

Projects were also given heightened consideration when addressing one of three focus categories for 2019: Walk/Bike Montco – Trails, Paths, Sidewalk Connections and Bike Facilities; Downtown and Community Destination Support; and Adaptation and Resiliency.

“It has been very gratifying to see how municipalities have used the Montco 2040 grant program to lift local projects off the ground while contributing to the countywide goals of the Montco 2040 comprehensive plan," said Dr. Val Arkoosh, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. "Pedestrian and bicycle mobility projects have been very popular, but we’re also seeing some great downtown improvements and environmental projects that improve water quality and reduce flooding in urbanized watersheds."

Since the initiation of the Montco 2040 Implementation Grant Program in 2016, 56 grants totaling $5.5 million has been awarded to benefit 38 municipalities in the county.

Nearby, Lower Merion got $150,000 for a stream restoration project.