FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Babette Josephs D-Philadelphia www.babette.org State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson D-Philadelphia www.pahouse.com/Johnson

Legislators' support instrumental in federal funding award

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 19 – State Reps. Babette Josephs and Kenyatta Johnson, both D-Phila., are applauding the $17.2 million in federal stimulus funding recently awarded to the Philadelphia area for recreational trails.

Both legislators sent letters supporting the grant application to the federal government. As a result of the funding, seven bike and pedestrian paths will be built along the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers within the Schuylkill River Trail and East Coast Greenway networks.

"These additional trails will significantly expand the spine of the Schuylkill River Trail and the East Coast Greenway," Josephs said. "Speaking as one who walks home on the trail from 30th Street Station when I return from Harrisburg after session, a more completed and contiguous network of trails not only will enhance our region's sustainability and livability, but also enhance our ability to comply with greenhouse gas emission caps and reduce vehicle miles traveled. All of this will make the region more economically competitive. Building the trail segments will create jobs and a more completed trail system will enhance regional economic development."

"The scope of these recreational trail projects is vast, and I think the federal government sees the level of cooperation between the various municipalities that have played and are playing roles in these trails and awarded the funding accordingly," Johnson said. "When complete, these trail projects will provide countless recreational opportunities, not to mention an overall improvement in the quality of life in our region." 

The Schuylkill River Trail is a multi-purpose trail that will, when complete, extend from Philadelphia to Schuylkill County, running the entire length of the river.

The seven trail projects include:

· the pedestrian bridge from Schuylkill Banks to Schuylkill River Park at 25^th and Spruce over the CSX railroad tracks;

· enhancing the Walnut Street Bridge for bicyclists and pedestrians;

· extending the Schuylkill River Trail from Locust Street to the South Street Bridge;

· building a new bicycle and pedestrian path from 51^st Street to Lindbergh Avenue, known as the Bartram's Garden Trail;

· constructing a new on-road greenway to connect Bartram's Garden to the Cobbs Creek Bikeway;

· connecting the Manayunk Canal, which ends currently at Shawmont Avenue, with the final section of the Schuylkill River Trail, from Port Royal Avenue to the Montgomery County line; and

· a Delaware Avenue Trail from Allegheny Avenue to the Betsy Ross Bridge.

These trail projects were part of a total of $1.5 billion in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grants allocated for 50 projects nationwide. The TIGER grants are from the federal stimulus funding package.

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