Think of the East Coast Greenway as an urban Appalachian Trail connecting cities from Maine to Florida. It goes along West Windsor on the D&R Canal towpath (ask us for a free map of the NJ route), with the potential for plenty of money to come to area businesses from bicycle tourists.? The Greenway wants to get most of the route off the roads, making it more appealing for cyclists and walkers.? Many areas need work, including points not too far south from us.
The Greenway says: ? It is time for Philadelphia to fill the gaps in the Schuylkill River Trail, for Pennsylvania to have a connected East Coast Greenway connecting to New Jersey and Delaware, and for Camden, New Jersey to become a ?city of trails, not highways.
? Philadelphia and five other surrounding counties submitted to the federal government for stimulus funding for an unprecedented multi-jurisdictional application (called GREAT PA/NJ) for $36 million to build 17 segments of the Schuylkill River Trail, the East Coast Greenway and the Camden GreenWay. If stimulus funds can repair highways and bridges, remodel transit stations and repave roads, why shouldn’t that same type of funding build bicycle & pedestrian trails? This is a HUGE opportunity to significantly advance active transportation regionally and to close many of the gaps along these trail systems.?
The Greenway asks that people contact the governor to stress their support for the project. You can also write to Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 001, Trenton, NJ 08625, or call 609-292-6000.
Read how a trail in Pennsylvania benefited local businesses.