Phoenixville's Schuylkill River Trail Gets $50K In State Funding

PHOENIXVILLE, PA -- Monday brought great news for lovers of the Schuylkill River Trail in Phoenixville, as a $50,000 grant has been approved for the borough to improve two sections of the trail in the borough.

According to Pennsylvania State Rep. Warren Kampf, the money will be used to pave the final 3,400 linear feet of unpaved trail in Phoenixville.

The grant is part of $77,807 needed to complete the project, and it has been provided by the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The money for the program comes from the Marcellus Legacy Fund, which leverages fees levied upon natural gas development for environmental projects.

“Using fee revenue collected from unconventional gas wells, Act 13 supports statewide environmental projects – from flood control, to sewage treatment, to greenways, trails and recreation – that help improve, protect, and conserve Pennsylvania’s natural beauty and well-being,” Governor Wolf said in a statement Monday. “We anticipate a tremendous, positive impact that can be witnessed and shared by communities across the state as a result of these investments.”

The funding for the Schuylkill River Trail was just a small part of $14 million in approved money disbursed to 94 projects across the state, including others in Montgomery, Chester, and Philadelphia counties.

Phoenixville submitted a grant to the state in June to receive funding through the program.

"We were shooting for more but we're happy with what we got," said Phoenixville Borough Councilman Michael Kuznar. "Our borough manager Jean Krack and economic development director Kelly Getzfread are the real ones to thank for that, they are the ones that wrote the grant."

Kuznar added that the borough has the funds to cover the remaining $27,807 of the cost.

The Marcellus Legacy Fund was born out of the state legislature's Act 13 of 2012. Since it's enactment, the Fund has been responsible for distributing more than $1 billion to environmental projects, the governor's office said.

The ever-expanding Schuylkill River Trail currently runs from the University City area in Philadelphia through to Pottsville. While there are several stretches which have not yet been completed, organizers aim to eventually have the trail run the entire 130-mile length of the river.

The Phoenixville segment of the trail was officially opened in 2015. The trail was named the best trail in America in 2015 by USA Today.

Image courtesy Schuylkill River Trail.