Schuylkill River Greenways NHA  has received $1,380,000 in federal grant funding through PennDOT for Phase II of the Mill Creek Schuylkill River Trail Section. The award fully funds the whole 5-mile trail section between St. Clair and Frackville Boroughs.  This non-motorized trail will roughly parallel the highway, creating an active transportation alternative where none currently exists. The 5-mile trail is the only multi-use trail corridor along US Rt. 61 for safe recreation and pedestrian commuting to shopping, restaurants, and access to health services.

“The SRT Mill Creek Section connects to both the St. Clair and Frackville downtown districts which can help bring economic development opportunities to both boroughs currently working on downtown revitalization plans,” said Kent Himelright, Trails Director for Schuylkill River Greenways.  “With the refurbished bowstring bridge as its centerpiece, the Mill Creek SRT Section is one of the largest trail projects in Schuylkill County since the construction of the John B. Bartram Trail section 20 years ago.”

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As part of the federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TASA) program, this funding is designated for projects and activities defined as transportation alternatives including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and trails that serve  transportation purposes.  

This substantial grant award will primarily be used for a 90 ft. pedestrian bridge across Mill Creek in the Coal Creek Commerce Center. This critical safety feature will connect trail users to St. Clair Borough from the shopping center, and keep them off busy roads and parking lots. The funds will also create a trailhead located on the Pennsylvania Game Commission State Game Lands 326 parking lot off Rt. 61. The trailhead will be a shared use space for trail users, hunters, hikers, and multiple State agencies.

“Our commitment to building the trail in Schuylkill County remains a top priority for our organization,” said Himelright.  “We are working with Reading Anthracite to develop a half mile shared use trail which allows for Schuylkill River Trail users to be separated from a Famous Reading Outdoors ATV corridor by a wooden fence. We understand the connection residents enjoy with the natural landscape of the county and we want to enhance that connection.”  

Currently, over 80 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail are complete across the five counties of the Schuylkill River Watershed. When the trail is complete, it will connect Frackville to Philadelphia with over 120 miles of multi-use trail.  Schuylkill River Greenways is the non-profit organization that has been tasked with completing the trail sections in Berks and its northern terminus in Schuylkill County.