The County is beginning a series of significant trail development projects for the Lower Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail between Philadelphia and Springfield Township (along Northwestern Avenue) to Fort Washington at Bethlehem Pike in Whitemarsh Township.
An initial project will be the construction of a segment which will link the exiting sidewalk system along Northwestern Avenue to Stenton Avenue. Design of this segment will be starting in May of 2004 with construction scheduled for the fall of 2005. This trail segment will consist of a 12 foot wide paved, multi-use path along the Montgomery County side of Northwestern Avenue on lands owned by the University of Pennsylvania and known as the Morris Arboretum/Bloomfield Farm area. The City of Philadelphia and Montgomery County are also combining forces to improve bicycle and pedestrian access between "Forbidden Drive" and the new trail.
In addition the County will be starting design planning for a trail development which will eventually connect Stenton Avenue at Northwestern Avenue along Stenton Avenue to West Valley Green Road and then through County and State park properties to the Fort Washington State Park. At the Fort Washington State Park, the Trail will connect to the proposed Cross County Trail for its development to Bethlehem Pike in the vicinity of Morris Road. Both the Wissahickon Trail and the Cross County Trail will share the same path between the Fort Washington State Park and Joshua Road near Germantown Academy in Fort Washington.
The county is completing a 1.5 mile segment between West Valley Green Road and the Militia Hill area of the Ft. Washington State Park, now and will be starting a connection to the Mill Road Recreation area of the Park.
Completion of these segments will be in the Summer of 2006.
