Chester Valley Trail 21-Mile Westward Extension: Meeting Upcoming

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — An upcoming public meeting will address the 21-mile westward expansion of the Chester Valley Trail, the multi-use path that will eventually connect the Schuylkill River Trail to Lancaster County.

The project will pick up near Main Street at Exton, which currently stands as the western terminus of the trail. The planned path will run 21 miles from there to hook up with the Enola Low Grade Trail, a planned 29-mile trail with a trailhead just outside of Atglen.

However, details are still up in the air, and the upcoming meeting — to be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 at Gateway Church in Parkesburg — will allow residents, business owners, and various stakeholders in the region to take a look at ideas for proposed trail routes, trailheads, and more.

The existing Chester Valley Trail (CVT) runs across Chester County, following U.S. Route 202, from Main Street at Exton, near the West Whiteland Township Building, to Bill Smith Boulevard, near the King of Prussia Mall. Plans are already underway to connect this eastern portion to the Schuylkill River Trail, which is just a short 2.55 miles away, a key linkage in the regional network.

>>Chester Valley Trail To Be Connected To Schuylkill River Trail

The upcoming meeting is organized by the Chester County Planning Commission, and will mark the final public meeting to address the feasability study. Public comments on the expansion will be accepted until the end of November.

"We appreciate all the feedback we have received about this project and are glad to see there is so much enthusiasm for this trail," Brian O’Leary, executive director of the Planning Commission, said in a statement, noting CVT's importance for both recreation and alternative transportation.

In determing the exact route, the Planning Commission is looking at nearby points of interest, and examples of other regional "trail towns" which have used similar trails to help spark "recreation-centered economic development."

A draft of the plan as it now stands will be posted online at Chesco Plannning on Nov. 2 ahead of the meeting.

Gateway Church is located on 160 Cowan Road in Parkesburg.

Image via Chester COunty Planning Commission