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I would like to take a moment to thank the Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners, as well as my fellow Cheltenham Twp Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) members, for supporting township Resolution No. 41-17 - Supporting The Circuit Trail Goals. As a cyclist myself, I greatly understand and appreciate the need to continue to work on the inter-connected trail network that is known as the Circuit Trails. As a kid growing up in Rockledge, I always hoped the Fox Chase-to-Newtown train line would someday be converted into a rail trail. Fast forward 25 years -- now, the rail trail is a thriving feature of that community, and is also training ground for the SoMont Cycling Youth MTB Team, which I founded with other members of Cheltenham township.
As an active community member, and EAC member, I believe Cheltenham Township has an important role to play in the growth of the The Circuit Trails.
I would also like to take this time to announce the Cheltenham Environmental Advisory Council has approved me in chairing a new EAC sub-committee to work on Mobility & Healthy Living, of which cycling and delivering on the township's support for this resolution will be a priority.
I will be announcing soon some local community meetings and other events to talk about Mobility and Healthy Living in our community. If you are interested in taking part as a leader or contributor to this sub-committee please get in contact with me.
I would also like to acknowledge the following groups for their continued support of the Circuit Trails - The Circuit Trails, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford (TTF) Watershed Partnership, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The complete resolution is included below.
Resolution No. 41-17 | Supporting The Curcuit Trail Goals
July 19, 2017
TOWNSHIP OF CHELTENHAM MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
RESOLUTION NO. 41-17
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, ENDORSING THE COMPLETION OF 180 MILES OF CIRCUIT TRAIL THROUGHOUT THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA REGION BY 2025 IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE 500 MILES OF COMPLETED CIRCUIT TRAILS; SUPPORTING EXISTING TRAILS ALONG THE ALIGNMENT OF CURCUIT TRAILS TO BE DESIGNATED AS PART OF “THE CIRCUIT”; AND INSTALLING SIGNAGE IN COORDINATION WITH THIS EFFORT
WHEREAS, the Circuit Trails are a connected system of multi-purpose trails (largely
off-road) located in the nine (9) counties that comprise the Delaware Valley Regional Planning
Commission (DVRPC) region, including Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware,
Mercer, Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties; and
off-road) located in the nine (9) counties that comprise the Delaware Valley Regional Planning
Commission (DVRPC) region, including Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware,
Mercer, Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties; and
WHEREAS, the building of the Circuit Trails is considered to be one of the largest
metropolitan-wide, multi-use trail building efforts in the country and very significant regional
accomplishment; and,
metropolitan-wide, multi-use trail building efforts in the country and very significant regional
accomplishment; and,
WHEREAS, the DVRPC set a long term regional goal in the Connections 2040 Plan to
complete the Circuit Trails by 2040, and to meet this goal, 180 new miles of Circuit trails need to
be completed by 2025 to reach 500 miles (2/3’s complete); and
complete the Circuit Trails by 2040, and to meet this goal, 180 new miles of Circuit trails need to
be completed by 2025 to reach 500 miles (2/3’s complete); and
WHEREAS, the Circuit Trails provide equitable transportation options for all users and
will connect communities to places of work, places to shop, places to worship, places to play,
places of historic significance, and places to teach our children; and;
will connect communities to places of work, places to shop, places to worship, places to play,
places of historic significance, and places to teach our children; and;
WHEREAS, the Circuit Trails Coalition, DVRPC, the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford
Watershed Partnership, Inc., the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the New Jersey Department of
Transportation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies have
committed to support and endorse non-motorized options for transportation and recreation; and
Watershed Partnership, Inc., the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the New Jersey Department of
Transportation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies have
committed to support and endorse non-motorized options for transportation and recreation; and
WHEREAS, the Circuit Trails will provide safe facilities separated from vehicular traffic
to encourage be bicyclists, walkers, the physically challenged, and other non-motorized users of
all ages to be more active and spend time outdoors, thereby improving their fitness and health;
and
to encourage be bicyclists, walkers, the physically challenged, and other non-motorized users of
all ages to be more active and spend time outdoors, thereby improving their fitness and health;
and
WHEREAS, when communities in other areas of the United States and abroad provide
for non-motorized transportation options they thrive as places to live and work; and
for non-motorized transportation options they thrive as places to live and work; and
WHEREAS, the Circuit Trails, by offering both residents and tourists access to natural,
cultural and historical sites, will bring health and economic benefits to counties, municipalities
and businesses in the region such as revenues to local economies, healthcare savings, enhanced
real estate values, and increased activity; and
cultural and historical sites, will bring health and economic benefits to counties, municipalities
and businesses in the region such as revenues to local economies, healthcare savings, enhanced
real estate values, and increased activity; and
WHEREAS, 5.4 million people reside in Greater Philadelphia and 85 percent of those
surveyed support building more trails in their counties. Furthermore, 70 percent favor spending
$2 per person in public dollars annually to pay for new connected trails.
surveyed support building more trails in their counties. Furthermore, 70 percent favor spending
$2 per person in public dollars annually to pay for new connected trails.
WHEREAS, Cheltenham Township is one of 385 municipalities in the DVRPC region
that is part of the Circuit; and
that is part of the Circuit; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the that the Board of Commissioners of
Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, hereby endorses the concept of the
nine county region completing 180 miles of Circuit Trails by 2025 in order to achieve 500 miles
of completed Circuit trails and the Circuit Trails passage through Cheltenham Township, and
encourages our neighboring communities to do the same; supports the existing trails along the
alignment of the Circuit Trails being designated as a “Circuit” Trail; and that Circuit guidance
signage be installed with the coordination with this effort.
Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, hereby endorses the concept of the
nine county region completing 180 miles of Circuit Trails by 2025 in order to achieve 500 miles
of completed Circuit trails and the Circuit Trails passage through Cheltenham Township, and
encourages our neighboring communities to do the same; supports the existing trails along the
alignment of the Circuit Trails being designated as a “Circuit” Trail; and that Circuit guidance
signage be installed with the coordination with this effort.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be forwarded to
the Circuit Trails Coalition, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources, and the County of Montgomery.
the Circuit Trails Coalition, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources, and the County of Montgomery.
RESOLVED and adopted this 19th day of July, A.D., 2017, by the Board of
Commissioners of the Township of Cheltenham, County of Montgomery, Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, at its public meeting held at Curtis Hall, 1250 West Church Road, Wyncote,
Pennsylvania, 19095, under my hand and the Seal of the Township of Cheltenham, in the year of
the Township of Cheltenham the one hundred eighteenth.
Commissioners of the Township of Cheltenham, County of Montgomery, Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, at its public meeting held at Curtis Hall, 1250 West Church Road, Wyncote,
Pennsylvania, 19095, under my hand and the Seal of the Township of Cheltenham, in the year of
the Township of Cheltenham the one hundred eighteenth.
TOWNSHIP OF CHELTENHAM BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Bryan T. Havir Township Manager and Secretary
Morton J. Simon, Jr., President