Draft: Friends of the Chester Valley Trail

 

September 17, 2013                                         East Whiteland Township Bldg. 7:00 pm

Presiding: Tim Lander                                         Board members present: Mike Broennle, Bob Cochlin, Phil Hoke, Bob O’Leary, Steve Warren.

                                                                        Others: Owen Prusack, Ed Auble and 10 others

 

1.  Minutes

    Approved minutes for Mar 19, May 19, and Jul 19, 2013.

2.  Treasurer’s Report

    Bob Cochlin reported a balance of $2305.77 after paying for 200 maps and 100 membership forms.

3.  County Update

    As Superintendent Owen Prusack is en route, Bob O’Leary began:

·  Phase II by contract is due to be completed by Nov 13, 2013:

·  The Valley Forge Rd bridge deck is scheduled to be poured on Thursday, 9/19.

·  There are several areas of concern along the trail: multiple sections of fencing, particularly bordering the quarries in Westlakes.

·  Removal of lead based paint and placing fencing at the Swedesford Rd bridge will begin the week of 9/23 or 9/30, with coordination of partial road closures with area sewer line work.

·  Issues regarding Cedar Hollow Rd at Vanguard have been resolved.

·  Phase IIIa, Church Farm Trail Head to Iron Lake Blvd, Exton, is in the Chester County (CC) Procurement Office and will be opened for bids by the end of Sept; completion anticipated by mid-summer 2014.

·  CC plans to apply for a state grant to fund design of Phase IV, Exton Main Street to Whitford Rd, Oakland Corporate Center.

·  No current information is available regarding Montgomery County’s portion of the CVT.

·  Owen Prusack arrived at 7:20 pm.  Construction of the Exton Trailhead parking lot expansion and installation of tot playground equipment is expected to be bid soon with completion in 2014.  Heaters are expected in the restrooms soon for year-round operation.  In response to a question, he reported installation of a water fountain with a dog faucet would cost an estimated $3,000.  Bob O’Leary suggested approaching the CC Convention and Visitors Bureau for funding.

·  Seven to nine benches are in the Phase II contract.  Sites have been chosen.

·  Though both the areas adjacent to Westlakes and Vanguard are closed due to construction, lunch traffic is occurring.

·  Reconstruction of a retaining wall along Matthews Rd bordering Vanguard should be completed by the end of September.

·  The concrete will be poured for the decks of both the Valley Forge and N. Valley Rd bridges this month.

·  The final paving of Church Farm Lane is anticipated in late September.

·  The Daylesford Lakes condominium community has completed an agreement to connect to the trail [just south of the N Valley bridge].

·  There is no agreement yet to permit trail access parking behind hhgregg along Swedesford Rd.

·  Uptown Worthington will provide a temporary alignment until construction is completed on the northeast portion of the site.

·  In questioning there was agreement rain water drainage is an issue through the culvert under Swedesford Rd between Valley Creek Blvd and Bacton Hill Rd.

4. Signage

·    Bob O’Leary reported on the status of historical signs.  Bid documents are undergoing county review, then go to the Procurement Office.  Two bids will be advertised in early Oct, for design and construction.  CC personnel will install. There will be two large trailhead and six historic interpretative signs, funded by the county.

·    Owen Prusack reported there has been a delay in ordering a directional sign to the Exton Trailhead posted at the Church Farm Lane intersection with Swedesford Rd.  W Whiteland Township is sharing the cost with CC and is doing the ordering.

5.  Board Items

·    The Friends have been given a table at the Paoli Blues Fest on Saturday, Oct 5.  Mike Broennle will head.  Phil Hoke and Bob Cochlin may be able to assist.  Hours are thought to be 12 to 6 pm…will need to confirm.

·    Mike Broennle has drafted a letter accepting the offer for the FCVT to join the Circuit Coalition.  Board members are asked to review and forward any comments to Tim Lander in the next week.  Mike will represent the Friends at Circuit events.  Mike is joining Sarah Clark Stewart and David Bennett, chair of the Delaware County Cycle Committee next Sunday, Sept 22 at the trail site at the E Whiteland Twp Building to obtain postcard petitions to help in requests to the 9 Delaware Valley county governments to support funding the regional trail fund in the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s transportation budget.

6.  New Matters

·    The 2nd public meeting to report on and solicit comments about the design of the Paoli Connector multiuse trail between the Paoli Station and the CVT is at 7 pm on Sept 30.

·    An attendee reported there was an incident on the trail in which a speeding cyclist struck a pedestrian.

 

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.


Next meeting: November 19, 2013, 7 pm, E Whiteland Twp Bldg.

Respectfully submitted,   

 

Mike Broennle

 

11/11/13