Whitemarsh: No $10k for Cross County Trail

Plymouth Township is still hoping to get the ball rolling on extending the Cross-County Bike Trail beyond Plymouth Meeting, with help from a PECO "Green Region" grant. They're just $10k short of where they hoped to be after Whitemarsh Township declined to take part in the grant application.

Patch first reported on the developments two weeks ago, when Plymouth Township authorized to release $10,000 in "conditional" capital funds to apply for a matching grant from PECO. The funds would pay for a feasibility study on extending the trail past its current terminus in Plymouth Meeting, to the former Erdenheim Farm "Sheep Track," or even to the Fort Washington State Park.

Plymouth was also hoping for a matching $10,000 contribution from Whitemarsh, but that township's Board of Supervisors said the money was just not available as they work to close a budget gap before a Dec. 27 meeting.

"We're still working on a budget, and we're coming down from revenues being much lower than what they had been," said Chair Robert Hart. "If we decide to [provide funds], we'll have to see how it affects our budget and how it can included."

But time was of the essence, as the grant's deadline was the following day, Dec. 14. A Green Region grant program representative told Patch that if Whitemarsh had joined in on the application, PECO's possible match for the project would still only total $10,000, unless Whitemarsh had applied separately.

Despite Whitemarsh's constraints and Plymouth Council's "conditional" approval, Plymouth Environmental Advisory Board chair Bill Sabey told Patch that the application was submitted.

Sabey says that estimated costs include an $18,000 feasibility study, and a $5,000 traffic study on how to best cross Germantown Pike at Chemical Road. If Plymouth is awarded the $10,000 matching grant, that would still leave them $3,000 short of the total estimated costs. Sabey has set a June goal to raise the necessary funds, and is optimistic that private donors or Whitemarsh will come through.

For its part, Whitemarsh recognizes that there will likely be a chance to contribute.

"I'm sure that participation would still be appreciated in whatever way the township decides to do it," Whitemarsh Director of Zoning and Planning Charles Guttenplan told the supervisors on Thursday.

Sabey says that feasibility studies involve talking to property owners and defining the best path for the trail. Once completed, they become a necessary component for furthering the trail.

"Once we have the feasibility completed to show that there is a legitimate path we can take, then we can apply for design and construction grants," Sabey said.