In fall of 2021, we held two rides along the Mainline Greenway with over 120 attendees who came out to show their support and to learn more about the status of the Greenway. We were joined by Lower Merion Township, Narberth Cycling Club, Haverford College and PA State Senator Amanda Cappelletti. To keep the momentum going, the Bicycle Coalition held a “Stress Point Ride” along the Greenway with help from NV5, Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail, Narberth Cycling Club and Bike Montgomery County.
Prior to the Greenway rides last fall, Narberth Cycling Club and Lower Merion Township stenciled temporary, white-painted sharrows along the route. When the group reached the half-way point at Haverford College, we asked what their opinions were on the newly painted wayfinding. While many were excited to see a specialized Mainline Greenway sharrow added to the route, others felt that the wayfinding markers need to include a square of high-visibility green paint to raise awareness for bicyclists, pedestrians and drivers along the Greenway. We agreed with the suggestion to add high visibility color to the wayfinding and began planning the next steps.
To bring the Greenway to the next level, Lower Merion Township needs an advanced concept plan. Such a plan will allow the township’s Public Works Department to bring the project into the next steps of engineering. The township created the map above that highlights the major stress points along the the Greenway. A notable stress point is the railroad bridge along Bowman Avenue (labeled as stress point 2 in the red circle). This segment of road carries high levels of traffic, is steep and has low visibility for all users.
At each stress point we encountered during the ride, the group took notes, measurements, photos and videos to catalog recommendations and draft a proposal for Lower Merion’s Public Works Department.
So what’s next? Once the proposal is finalized, Lower Merion Township plans to host a public meeting with an interactive map and recommendations to build upon the safety and wayfinding of the project area. When that time comes, we’ll need your support! Stay tuned.