Draft: Friends of the Chester Valley Trail

 

March 26, 2014                                                 Tredyferrin Township Bldg. 7:00 pm

Presiding: Tim Lander                                         Board members present: Mike Broennle, Bob Cochlin, Gail Lipstein, Bob O’Leary and Steve Warren.

                                                                        Representing Chester County: Dave Stauffer, Rangers Pavolic, Davis and Tzaska

                                                                        21 other attendees including Sean Moir

 

1.  Minutes

o Approved minutes for January 29, 2014.

2.  Treasurer’s Report

o Bob Cochlin reported a balance of $3829.43. 

3.  County Update

    Facilities & Parks Capital Projects Coordinator Dave Stauffer   reported:

o Phase II

             Rehab of the Swedesford Rd bridge: Painting will be completed this week.  Fencing and 10 ft of                    overlay paving pending.

             Working to finalize an agreement with PECO for the trail along Devon Park Dr between Line Rd                and Old Eagle School Rd.

             April 10 is the contract deadline for completion.  Then the Montgomery County portion is                              transferred to Montgomery County.

             The Warner Road Trailhead will get a portable toilet.

             The jersey barrier along Matthews Rd should be completed by April 10.

             The Grand Opening date is yet decided.

             Parking in Tredyferrin Twp:  County continues to talk to property owners:

                  Penn Med

                  Keystone Property Group, owners of Westlakes

                  Wegman’s and Target own their lots in Uptown Worthington

                  hhgregg

             Trail access: 

                  Old Forge Crossing Condos:  On the County Commissioners agenda for 4/3/14, the first                          access to be acted on by the commissioners.

                  The link agreement is on the county website.

                  DownEast homeowners.

                  Daylesford Lakes Condo Assoc:  pending receipt of a connection design.

             Trail fill:  The fill originally used to level the rail bed was not “clean fill.”  Pollution includes                             arsenic,possibly from the creosote in the ties and/orpollution from coal.  It is not leaching into                  the adjacent land or water, and is encapsulated by paving.

             Water is pooling on the north side of the trail near the former Syms fitness facility.

o Phase III

The contract for trail construction from the Exton Trailhead to Iron Lake Blvd in Exton has been       awarded; surveying is completed; clearing has begun.  User activated signals are planned.

o Phase IV

To Oaklands Corporate Center.  County funding for design is available with a bridge planned for       the Whitford Rd crossing.  Do not yet know if there is sufficient right of way for an on/off                  ramp.

o Phase I

Ranger Sissy Pavolic reported the county has an agreement with O’Neill Properties, owner of     Uptown-Worthington, to remove snow.

Bids for improvements at the Exton Trailhead to double the parking area and add playground facilities are due Apr 23.  Contract should be completed in mid-May.

Signs for the Exton Trailhead.  Still pending.  W Whiteland and CC are splitting the cost.

PennDOT District 6 will address the safety of the crossing of the SR29 northbound ramp to    Matthews Rd, expected to take into 2015.

Safety improvements to the crosswalk on Foundry Way, Uptown-Worthington,  have been      discussed with O’Neill Properties.  By agreement with the county, if O’Neill doesn’t complete     improvements the county can do the work and bill O’Neill.

o Other Trail Items

Rangers Sissy Pavolic, Cullen Davis, and Mike Travis introduced themselves.  The rangers    mission is to serve and protect, providing conditions to enjoy the trail in safety.  The trail is a   high priority for the county, promoting the county as a desirable place to live and work.    

Paoli Connector:  Bob O’Leary reported TMACC’s completed design plan for a ped/bike    connection between the Paoli Train Station and the CVT along Cedar Hollow Road which is    based on an earlier conceptual study by Tredyferrin Twp now needs citizens to push their board   of supervisors in Tredyferrin and Willistown townships to act.

The Park Dept is seeking 2 trail counters to better document trail usage.

Trail etiquette grows in importance as trail usage grows.

4.  Historical Markers

o  Bob O’Leary reported the Chester County has awarded a contract for design of 10 historical markers to Merge of W Chester to be completed in 8 Mo.  Fabrication will be followed by installation by CC Facilities to be completed in late 2014 or early 2015.  Themes include history of the trail area, publicity and trail safety.

5.  Board Items

    Events:

-        March 29 [Sat]: Rails to Trails Conservancy: Opening day for trails

-        April 10 [Thu]: Penn State Great Valley Arts and Culture Expo table

-        April 23 [Wed]: Vanguard Earth Day table          

-        April 26 [Sat]: E Goshen Healthy Kids Day table [tentative]

-        May 16 [Fri] 11am-4pm: Paoli Hospital employee health fair table

-        May 17 [Sat] 10am-2pm: Chester County Library Mini Maker Fair table

-        Sept 27 [Sat] 10 am-noon: Tredyferrin Community Day, Wilson Farm Park table

-        Oct 4 [Sat] Paoli Blues

 

Finished at 8:20 pm.

 

Next meeting:  May 13, 7 pm, E. Whiteland Twp. Bldg.

 

Respectfully submitted,   

 

Mike Broennle

 

Draft 5/13/14