4 Projects Connecting Schuylkill Banks
The following four projects are located on the map shown here. They include approximately 12,000 feet of new trail along the river. Once all four projects are completed, it will accomplish a primary goal of SRDC, which is to provide an off-road connection for pedestrians and bicyclists to Bartram’s Garden, a National Historic Landmark.
South to Christian: This project was built in two phases because the funding was secured in two separate grants. The second phase is underway with the remainder of the trail due for paving this month. Completing the irrigation system and some fall plantings will delay the formal opening of the trail to October.
Bartram’s Mile: The ribbon cutting was held April 22nd and the project has received praise from all the trail users to date. There are some “punch list items” that remain and some fall plantings that need to be completed. The northern section of the trail eagerly awaits the completion of the new bridge that will connect to the Grays Ferry Crescent.
The Crossing at Grays Ferry: The proposed swing bridge plans and specifications received Federal approval on June 30th. The next steps are to advertise the bridge for bids in early August and have the bridge under construction towards the end of this year. The crossing will consist of a new truss structure that will rotate when needed for tall vessels or for routine maintenance. The residents on both sides of the river will be able to enjoy the riverfronts on both the east and west banks.
Christian to Crescent Connector: This project is moving along in the preliminary engineering phase. Due to the minimal amount of space along the shore, a structure will need to be built over the active Veolia dock and also provide a connection to the Grays Ferry neighborhood near Stanely Street. This structure will be raised about 20 feet over the water. The selected structure type is a woven cable-stayed bridge that curves along the bank to eventually meet the existing trail at Grays Ferry Crescent. We hope to complete construction by 2020.
