Supporting the concept of the nine-county region of Circuit Trails, working toward the completion of 500 miles of Trails in the Greater Philadelphia Region by 2025.

WHEREAS, The Circuit Trails are a connected system of multi-purpose trails (largely off-road) located in the nine (9) counties that comprise the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) region, including Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, Mercer, Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties; and

WHEREAS, The building of the Circuit Trails is considered to be one of the largest metropolitan-wide, multi-use trail building efforts in the country and very significant regional accomplishment; and

WHEREAS The DVRPC set a long term regional goal in the Connections 2040 Plan to complete the Circuit Trails by 2040, and to meet this goal, 180 new miles of Circuit trails need to be completed by 2025 to reach 500 miles (2/3’s complete); and

WHEREAS, Thirty-three (33) miles of yet-to-be-constructed trail segments are within the City of Philadelphia’s Circuit network; and

WHEREAS, The Circuit Trails provide equitable transportation options for all users and will connect communities to places of work, places to shop, places to worship, places to play, places of historic significance, and places to teach our children; and

WHEREAS, The Circuit Trails Coalition, DVRPC, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, New Jersey Department of Transportation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies have committed to complete non-motorized options for transportation and recreation; and

WHEREAS, The Circuit Trails will provide safe facilities separated from vehicular traffic to encourage bicyclists, walkers, the physically challenged, and other non-motorized users of all ages to be more active and spend time outdoors, thereby improving their fitness and health; and

WHEREAS, When communities in other areas of the United States and abroad provide for non-motorized transportation options they thrive as places to live and work; and

WHEREAS, The Circuit Trails, by offering both residents and tourists access to natural, cultural and historical sites, will bring health and economic benefits to counties, municipalities and businesses in the region such as revenues to local economies, healthcare savings, enhanced real estate values, and increased activity; and

WHEREAS, 5.7 million people reside in Greater Philadelphia and 85 percent of those surveyed support building more trails in their counties. Furthermore, 70 percent favor spending $2 per person in public dollars annually to pay for new connected trails; and

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is one of 351 municipalities in the DVRPC region that is part of the Circuit; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby endorse the concept of the nine-county region completing 180 miles of Circuit Trails by 2025 in order to achieve 500 miles of completed Circuit trails.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That a certified copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the Circuit Trails Coalition, further evidencing the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

End