Over 100 western Chester County residents and trail enthusiasts from across the county attended a recent public meeting about the Chester Valley Trail West study to learn more about the project and offer input.

The primary purpose of the meeting, which took place at The Parkesburg Point Youth Center on March 1, was to seek public input on the alignment alternatives that have been developed for the trail. Additionally, the project team shared the results of the public survey, which garnered over 2,800 responses. Overall, 89 percent of survey respondents were in favor of extending the Chester Valley Trail to the Lancaster County line. 

Public input at this phase in the planning process is critical. The trails to which the Chester Valley Trail West will connect­—the Enola Low Grade Trail to the west and the Chester Valley Trail to the east—are both multi-use trails that were built on former railroad corridors. This feature creates a trail experience that is removed from the stresses of interaction with vehicular traffic. Since little former rail corridor exists within the project study area for the Chester Valley Trail West, the alignment for this trail is much less obvious and requires the input from many stakeholders and local experts. The input received at the meeting will be used in determining the recommended alignment for the trail.

Materials from the meeting—including alignment alternative maps and the presentation—are available on the project website. Comments on the alignments can be submitted through a form on the website, as well.

The recent meeting was the second of three public meetings about the project. Please stay tuned for details about the final meeting, which will take place sometime this fall.