14 Trail Projects Get Approval

14 regional trail projects were approved Thursday by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Board. The commission awarded $4.5 million in grants to help design or construct the trails.  Four of the "early action" projects were approved by the board in July, bringing the total spent to $5.2 million.  The DVRPC received 37 applications totaling $18 million, a testament to the demand for increased trail access in the region.

The 14 projects approved Thursday span both Pennsylvania and New Jersey and include $260,000 for preliminary design of a trail that would cross the Schuylkill River at Grays Ferry Avenue, utilizing a currently unused bridge to connect the popular Schuylkill River trail with a smaller Grays Ferry Crescent trail.  It also provides $500,000 in design and construction money for a trail along Penn Street that would provide better access to the Delaware River.