Power Line Trail Connector Feasibility Study Montgomery Township, Montgomery County, Pa
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
POWER LINE TRAIL CONNECTOR FEASIBILITY STUDY MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA PREPARED BY: DRAFT REPORT December 2013 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Robert J. Birch Candyce Fluehr Chimera Michael J. Fox Jeffrey W. McDonnell Joseph P. Walsh ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Vere Archibald Barry Baker Jeffrey Gibbons Jeanine Hurry Mahbubur R. Meenar Beth Staab Terry Wilson OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE Kim Greene Jay Glickman Laurence Poli Roy Rodriguez Beth Staab PARK& RECREATION BOARD Mark Angelone Linda Brooks Angelo Grasso Kim Greene Michael Okino Al Quasti Anthony Ruggieri PLANNING COMMISSION Michael Beatty Jay Glickman Steve Krumenacker Leon McGuire James Rall Ellen Reynolds Jonathan Trump PAGE This project funded through the Delaware Valley Regional 2 Planning Commission’s (DVRPC’s) Regional Trails Program. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION -PROJECT SCOPE -REGIONAL CONTEXT -PROJECTED USE -TRAIL CHARACTERISTICS INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS -PHYSICAL CONDITIONS -USAGE FEASIBILITY -LEGAL FEASIBILITY METHODOLOGY -EXISTING PLANS AND FIELD INVENTORY -PUBLIC PARTICIPATION -DESIGN CRITERIA RECOMMENDATIONS -TRAIL ALIGNMENT -PROPOSED EASEMENTS -OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE -IMPLEMENTATION -OPINION OF PROBABLE COST -FUNDING -PERMITTING AND COORDINATION APPENDIX -PHOTO REFERENCE SHEETS -MONTGOMERY COUNTY PRIMARY TRAIL NETWORK PLAN -PENNSYLVANIA BIKE ROUTE S PLAN PAGE POWER LINE TRAIL CONNECTOR FEASIBILITY STUDY 3 INTRODUCTION PROJECT SCOPE The purpose of the Montgomery also exist. The Route 202 Parkway trail is a Township Power Line Connector Trail nine (9) mile multi-use trail that runs from Feasibility Study is to evaluate routing Doylestown to Montgomeryville. The other options that will best connect the recently significant trail network that is proposed constructed Route 202 Parkway Trail within the Township is the Power Line Trail. to the partially constructed Power Line This proposed seventeen (17) mile trail Trail. Both of these trails are identified on will extend from Evansburg State Park in Montgomery County’s proposed primary Skippack Township to the Pennypack Trail trail network plan, which was prepared and Cross County Trail in Upper Moreland by the Montgomery County Planning Township. The Trail follows a PECO utility Commission. Feasibility criteria include corridor. Approximately five (5) miles of pedestrian safety, physical barriers, the trail has been constructed in adjacent financial consideration, connectivity to Horsham Township. residential populations and to existing and proposed amenities within Montgomery Township as well as surrounding municipalities. REGIONAL CONTEXT Montgomery Township is situated on the eastern edge of Montgomery County, bordered by Horsham Township, Lower 202 PARKWAY TRAIL SEGMENT WITH DEDICATED BIKE LAND AND SIDE TRAIL Gwynedd Township, Upper Gwynedd Township, Lansdale Borough, Hatfield In addition to these regional, off Township and New Britain Township, road trails, Pennsylvania Department of Bucks County to the East. The Township Transportation’s Bicycle PA Bike Route S is densely populated and composed of utilizes portions of Route 309, Hartman a large range of residential and non- Road, Horsham Road and Kenas Road residential uses. In addition to the within Montgomery Township. This on- multitude of existing sidewalk networks existing throughout the Township, several existing and planned regional trail routes PAGE POWER LINE TRAIL CONNECTOR FEASIBILITY STUDY 4 INTRODUCTION road bike route extends four hundred PROJECTED USE sixteen miles in length, beginning at Montgomery Township anticipates the West Virginia state line just west of the Power Line Connector Trail to be West Alexander and extending east to a Multi-Use trail, utilized by bicyclists the New Jersey state line in Washington and pedestrians for transportation and Crossing. Although the Bicycle PA routes exercise. The proposed Trail system do not necessarily provide specific bicycle will provide a multitude of recreational facilities, they are intended to provide opportunities for the Township and experienced bicyclists with a guide to Surrounding Communities by linking available highways and rail trails to traverse residents to regional trail networks. These across the state. trail networks provide access to various parks, open space, commercial areas and cultural/historical sites. Implementation of the trails will also open up opportunities for enhancement of natural areas. PROJECTED USE BICYCLE PA ROUTES PAGE POWER LINE TRAIL CONNECTOR FEASIBILITY STUDY 5 INTRODUCTION TRAIL CHARACTERISTICS This feasibility study considers which are physically separated from several types of trails to create the link vehicular traffic, as well as On-Road cycling between the Parkway Trail and the Power routes are noted as potential routes. Line Trail. Multi-Use, or Shared Use trails TYPICAL SEPARATED MULTI-USE TRAIL TYPICAL ON ROAD SHARED ROUTE OFF ROAD PAGE POWER LINE TRAIL CONNECTOR FEASIBILITY STUDY 6 INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS PHYSICAL CONDITIONS Land Use The land that exists between the 202 Parkway Trail and the proposed connection to the Power Line Trail is primarily urbanized land with rolling topography. Land uses include a wide range of Industrial, Commercial and Mid- 16F Density Residential.16F16F16F 16E 16E16E16E 1AD1AD1AD 1AD 16D 16D16D16D 16C 16C16C16C 16B16B16B 16A 16B 16A16A16A 169 169169169 168 168168168 D0 D0D0D0 166166166 167 166 167167167 164 164164164 162 162162162 165 165165165 D1 D1D1D1 161161161 161 160 145145145 146 160160160 145 146146146 D2 147 14A D2D2D2 144144144 147147147 14A14A14A 144 147 14C 14C14C14C D8D8D8 D8 148 148148148 1AC D3D3D3 1AC1AC1AC D3 143 143143143 D4 D4D4D4 D5D5D5 D5 F2 14D F2F2F2 14D14D14D 135 14D 135135135 137 137137137 D7D7D7 110 D7 DB 110110110 DBDBDB 112 112112112 D6D6D6 D6 DA DADADA 15E DDDDDD 15E15E15E DD D9 D9D9D9 DE DEDEDE 15D15D15D DF F1F1F1 15D DFDFDF F1 10F E2E2E2 E0 10F10F10F E2 E0E0E0 10F E1 E1E1E1 10E 10E10E10E 10D 10D10D10D 10C10C10C 50 10C 505050 132132132 E4 132 E4E4E4 F4F4F4 51 131 E4 F4 515151 131131131 F3F3F3 131 F3 130 E3 10B10B10B 130130130 E3E3E3 10B 4F4F4F 130 E3 4F F5 12F F5F5F5 12F12F12F 4E 4E4E4E 11A 11A11A11A 525252 12E 52 12E12E12E 656565 4D 65 117 4D4D4D 12C 117117117 12C12C12C 117 66 118118118 666666 118 53 116 108 535353 116116116 108108108 646464 10A 64 10A10A10A 4C 11B 107 4C4C4C 11B11B11B 107107107 4C 4A4A4A 62 4A 626262 11C 11F 11C11C11C 11F11F11F 120 125 120120120 125125125 106106106 125 106 127 122 127127127 122122122 414141 126 41 126126126 129129129 4B 606060 129 4B4B4B 60 616161 12B 61 12B12B12B 474747 113113113 47 E6E6E6 105 113 E6 105105105 114 114114114 484848 5F 48 5F5F5F 40 F8F8F8 49 404040 F8 45 494949 40 FA 454545 FAFAFA 43 434343 104104104 104 F9 F9F9F9 444444 44 5E F7 5E5E5E 42 E5E5E5 F7F7F7 424242 E5 F7 676767 42 46 67 464646 5D5D5D 54 5D E8E8E8 55 545454 E8 555555 F6 F6F6F6 565656 5C 686868 56 5C5C5C 68 E9 797979 E9E9E9 57 79 575757 59 595959 696969 58 69 5B 585858 5B5B5B EF 5B 78 EFEFEF 787878 EA 5A 78 EAEAEA 5A5A5A EEEEEE EE 6F EC 6F6F6F 777777 ECECEC 6F 77 EDEDED 6A 6D6D6D ED 6A6A6A 6D 158 158158158 6E 767676 158 6E6E6E 76 157157157 EB 157 EBEBEB 156156156 156 E7 E7E7E7 6B 6B6B6B 155 747474 155155155 74 F0 707070 757575 F0F0F0 70 75 13F13F13F 154154154 13F 154 142 142142142 153 71 153153153 717171 Montgomery Twp 13E 13D Neighborhoods Streets Features 1D5 1D51D51D5 Streams 1D2 1D21D21D2 1CC 1CC1CC1CC 1CD1CD1CD 1D11D11D1 1CD 1D1 1CE Buildings 1CE1CE1CE 1D3 1D31D31D3 1CB 1CB1CB1CB 1CA Parcels OverView 1CA1CA1CA 1C5 1C51C51C5 Zoning Layers 1C9 1C91C91C9 1C6 Zoning Overlays 1C8 1C61C61C6 1C6 1C81C81C8 1C71C71C7 B 1C7 ECPOD HLI HLI II 1DA1DA1DA Zoning 1DA 1D61D61D6 1D6 1D91D91D9 BP 1D9 1DB 1D8 1DB1DB1DB 1D81D81D8 1DC C 1DC1DC1DC 1ED 1DD 1ED1ED1ED 1DD1DD1DD 1DE CA 1DE1DE1DE 1DF 1DF1DF1DF 1E0 L1 1E01E01E0 1E2 1E21E21E2 1EC 1E11E11E1 1E3 MHP 1EC1EC1EC 1E1 1E31E31E3 1E4 1E41E41E4 1E51E51E5 1E5 1E61E61E6 1E6 1E8 R1 1E81E81E8 1A9 1A91A91A9 1AA R2 1AA1AA1AA 1A8 R3 1A81A81A8 1AF R3A 1AF1AF1AF R3B 1A7 R5 1A71A71A7 1C3 1C31C31C3 1A5 1A6 1A51A51A5 R6 1A61A61A6 1A3 1A41A41A4 1A31A31A3 1A4 1A2 1A21A21A2 1A1 RS 1A11A11A1 1C1 S 1A0 1C11C11C1 1A01A01A0 PAGE1C1 1A0 19F19F19F 19F POWER LINE TRAIL CONNECTOR FEASIBILITY STUDY 19E19E19E 19E 1BD 1BD1BD1BD 19D 19D19D19D 1BE 1BE1BE1BE 19C19C19C 7 1BF 19C 1BF1BF1BF 19B 19B19B19B INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS Natural Areas and Parks are located on this property, including a Due to the highly urbanized and stone-bank barn which was constructed in densely populated condition of the project 1820, a cottage built in 1929, The Thomas area, there are limited Natural Areas. There Wilson House and The John Roberts House. is a vegetated corridor that follows the The land was originally owned by William path of the Little Neshaminy Creek which Penn and was granted to Richard Pearce, flows through the project site as well as who then sold a piece to William Morgan. vegetated tributary areas. These tributary Joseph Amber acquired the property after areas exhibit signs of the highly urbanized the death of William Morgan. This site is environment in which they are located, full of history and charm. having eroded banks from high velocity Another important site in the flows. project area is the Montgomery Township Municipal Complex. The Township complex is home to the Township’s