The Secret Trail

Local residents are making the newly finished section of the Route 202 Parkway in Montgomery Township into their own "secret" walking trail.

The section of Route 202 between Costco Road and Knapp Road is still closed to vehicular traffic and makes a nice running track for those who venture onto the empty four-lane highway that spans over Montgomeryville's busy Route 309.

Resident Mike Nesbit was out for his usual afternoon walk along the empty stretch of road.

"It's nice to walk on a quiet stretch of road with no cars," he said. "The view from the bridge over 309 is great.  I enjoy walking here on my way to work because it's so peaceful, like I am the only person in the world."

Cyclists have been using the thoroughfare because of its ease of travel between Routes 463 and 63.  There are bicycle and walking paths along Route 202, but with no cars, cyclists find it hard to resist using the road while it is still accessible to bicycle traffic.

This stretch of the Route 202 Parkway looks ready for vehicular traffic, which might put an end to the "secret" trail.  This will put the car-free section of the Route 202 Parkway in jeopardy.  

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's website had no information when this piece of 202 would be opened.  A follow up e-mail gave some clarity.

"The construction of the southern part of the Parkway, which runs from just north of Route 63 (Welsh Road) to just north of Route 463 (Horsham Road) is basically completed," said PennDOT spokesman Gene Blaum. "This 1.8-mile-long section was the first to move to construction in late November 2008. The central and northern sections of the Parkway remain under construction."

He said work on the central and northern sections of the Parkway began in early 2010. 

"The entire 8.4-mile-long Parkway is scheduled to open in mid-2012, which includes the southern section," he said. A very short portion of the Parkway is currently open between Route 463 (Horsham Road) and Costco Drive."

Blaum said the stretch of the Parkway between Costco Drive and Route 63 (Welsh Road) will not open until the entire Parkway opens in mid-2012.

It looks like Montgomeryville's "secret" car-free trails will enjoy a longer life than expected, which will give avid resident joggers, runners, walkers and bikers something to celebrate in the spring and summer.