This is an interesting, short article describing the results of a recent study on the effects of bike riding and the metal health of middle school-aged students
https://momentummag.com/study-shows-cycling-programs-in-middle-schools-a-win-for-mental-health/
Cover of Draft Upper Gwynedd Comprehensive Recreation Parks and Open Space Plan
On January 13, at 7 PM at the Upper Gwynedd Township building at Parkside Place on Sumneytown Pike, commissioners will be presented with recommendations by the committee involved with the Comprehensive Recreation, Parks and Open Space Plan.
The committee has been working on this plan and recommendations for more than a year, including multiple public sessions and an online survey to collect input on the plan.
Because Upper Gwynedd Township sits in a very important geographic location for bike infrastructure, all members of the North Penn community are encouraged to review this recommendation deck and show up at the Township meeting on Jan. 13. Upper Gwynedd residents are encourage to stand up and speak in support of these committees recommendations.
Upper Gwynedd Township also broadcasts commission meetings live on Facebook.
It is cold outside, but tonight at 7 PM in Lansdale, Bike North Penn will be discussing warmer activities related community bike rides, bike valet and issues related to bike infrastructure. Everyone is encouraged to come out tonight and participate in the meeting and bring your ideas!
The meeting is at 7 PM, at Eclipse Center for Creative Community – 30 Vine Street, Lansdale PA 19446.
You can also participate remotely via Microsoft Teams
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 227 746 092 906
Passcode: 7iC3Xa2A
Cover of the North Wales Borough 2040 Comprehensive Plan ({Published 1918)
North Wales Borough is in the process of collecting resident feedback to prioritize the next round of action items and budgets for items outlined in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which was published in 2018.
Here is a link to the 2018 Comprehensive Plan
Here is a link to the survey – which will only be open through December 31, 2024.
Some key points of interest the plan:
Page 6 and 43-45 and page 47
Transportation Goals:
Page 45
Notes the bike rack capacity at the SEPTA train station but low numbers of SEPTA riders arriving by bike (2%) and how this should be improved. But it does not mention SEPTA’s lack of staffing at the train station and the potential of bike theft as a deterrent to use. Maybe in 2018 there were still some open ticket office hours at the station?
Page 47
Includes suggestions for improving visibility of cross-walks and adding establishing designated bike routes in the borough using “sharrows” but states most streets are too narrow to accommodate dedicated bike lanes.
Page 18
Suggesting opportunities for mixed-use development round the North Wales SEPTA station and the business district (generally, on the blocks along Main Street/Sumneytown Pike and Second Street). “Mixed-use” meaning retail on the first ground floor with residential space on other floors.
Pages 24 and 31
Related to connecting North Wales Borough to Upper Gwynedd’s Park Side Place. The photos and details on page 24 show the state of the entrance in 2018, Since then significant improvements have been made to the park entrance coming off Center Street as well as sidewalks added to Center Street where they did not exist, and the installation of the pedestrian crossing light at Center Street and Walnut/North Wales Rd. On page 31 there is a suggestion to add wayfinding signs to promote awareness of the Center Street entrance.
Page 37
For the downtown district – identified as a “Medium Priority”:
Page 39
This section on parking talks about limited parking in the Borough and, among other things proposes adding metered parking, but makes no mention of bike racks in the downtown or encouraging biking or walking improvements for incremental alternatives to cars and trucks. Walkability is vaguely mentioned on page 41 and adding bike racks along Main Street is briefly mentioned on page 50, but these would be better to be treated as one unified approach in the report.
Page 47
Mentions a new borough bike-share pilot, but does not specify if it is the bike share operated by The Partnership TMA of Montgomery County or some other program. Later on the same page it talks about funds awarded more than one million dollars to the Borough to improve walkabilty to Norh Wales elementary and what was the St. Rose of Lima Catholic school for “installation of curbing, sidewalks and traffic calming measures.” The section is written like work is ANTICIPATED to start in 2018, so this may be an editing error or info left over from an earlier report.
Page 48
Includes ideas for possible trail connections along PECO powerlines. Some of this is also detailed in the recent draft of the Upper Gwynedd “Comprehensive Recreation and Parks and Open Space Plan.”
Page 49-50
Details performing studies related to traffic and sidewalks to address mostly speeding traffic and walkability. There is also mention of coordinating with SEPTA on bus stops in the borough and “Evaluate need for lighting, seating, or shelters at bus stops along East Walnut Street and Main Street.”
Page 50:
About biking
Recommendation:
Strategies:
The committee working on the Lansdale Borough Active Transportation is asking for the public to complete an online survey which be an input to the committee’s final report. The committee is looking into ways to improved Lansdale Borough for people to get around on foot, by bike or other types of transportation other than cars and trucks. Please do consider taking a few minutes to participate, and complete this survey:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/0e3c26e8427549debc294b464458147d
The Del Web “North Penn” development is a private, “gated” community in Hatfield Township with its main entrance on Forty Foot Rd across from the ShopRite grocery store. Homeowners have been moving in for a while, but construction continues around the development, particularly in the east end, at the back of the development.
Unless you have been closely following the zoning approvals for Hatfield Township, you are probalby not aware the development design includes a publicly accessible trail, running from Pennfield Drive to the Ralph’s Corner shopping area at the corner of Welsh Road and Forty Foot Road, emerging in the back corner by Kohls department store.
Map of the North Penn Trail and connections to local streets.
At Pennfield Drive, what once was a dead end, will now turn into Mason Rd at the edge of the development. Rather than accessing the trail from the street, pedestrians and bikers instead need to follow the last bit if sidewalk on Pennfield Dr. There are signs posted here and along the length of the trail, calling it a “walking path” and asking users to “stay on the path,” among other things. I rode it on a bike and none of the residents out walking their dogs or biking on the trail gave me any trouble. The signs do not give the path/trail a name, but since it passes through the North Penn neighborhood, it will be referred to from here forward as the “North Penn Trail” unless someone officially names it otherwise.
Image of North Penn Trail Route
The North Penn Trail probably runs less than a quarter of a mile and has several street crossings inside the development. The south end, connecting to Ralph’s Corner, is not yet complete, but the signs are in place so the general path is rather obvious. Still, it is an active construction site and it is not recommended anyone ride through to the shopping area until the trail is done.
North Penn Trail entrance at Pennfield Road.
This trail is an important connector for both residents of the development and anyone else wanting access Ralph’s Corner by foot or by bike. Because Welsh Road lacks sidewalks coming out of Lansdale/Towamencin and is not very hospitable on a bike, locals will be able to use the North Penn trail as a cut through via quieter secondary streets. This could also be considered a way through to the neighborhood on the south side of Welsh Rd (via the intersection near Aldi), on to Grist Mill Park, on to the bike lanes on Allentown Rd and then to the designated Towamencin bike route on Keeler Rd. getting riders way across Towamencin Township. In the opposite direction, nearby East Vine Street connects over to the Liberty Bell Trail near Cowpath Road.
North Penn Trail headed north.
Imagine living in the development and heading over to the shopping area on foot or by bike, rather than taking your car to reach shops just around the corner? It is fantastic Hatfield Township made this publicly accessble trail a requirement for the development plan. Let’s press and support municipal officials to ensure this same connectivity improvements for other developments in our area!
Uncompleted section of the North Penn Trail connected to Ralph’s Corner shopping area.
In recent weeks, Lansdale Borough has placed a new set of site-customized bike racks and a new bike fix-it station along the Liberty Bell Trail, next to the historic Fright House on South Broad Street, across from Borough Hall. This is part of the improvement work on the Freight House property, which started with re-engineering and re-surfacing of the parking lot and will eventually include the restoration of the interior and exterior of the Freight House itself, turning it into a welcome center/community space when completed.
The fix-it station is the second for the borough in 2024, after the first was installed in Stoney Creek Park in the spring. Wayfinding signs were also added to the location recently, identifying the location as a “trail head.”
Jacqui Baxter-Rollins Presenting Bike Audit Report Findings to Hatfield Township.
On December 18, The Partnership TMA of Montgomery County presented to Hatfield Township commissioners a readout of the findings of their Bike Audit performed earlier in 2024 covering key intersections in both Hatfield Borough and Hatfield Township (a similar presentation to Hatfield Borough was provided at a separate meeting). This audit is part of The Partnership TMA’s “Bike More – Drive Less” initiative which focused on bike lanes on South Broad Street in Upper Gwynedd Township in 2023 and moved to Hatfield Borough and Hatfield Township in 2024.
The presentation included details of observations made at key intersections, identifying aspects which often make navigation by bike difficult. In addition to TMA staffers Lucas Oshman and Jacqui Baxter-Rollins, Hatfield resident, (TMA volunteer and BNP member) Jerry Weltman reviewed details of the report. Megan Kochersperger (BNP member), who manages operations for a Hatfield-based manufacturer, spoke to challenges her employees have when commuting through Hatfield Township and Hatfield Borough by bike.
Jerry Weltman Presenting Bike Audit Report Findings to Hatfield Township.
Lucas Oshman Presenting Bike Audit Report Findings to Hatfield Township.
Megan Kochersperger providing her perspective on challenges employees biking to their jobs at a Hatfield-based manufacturer.
The Partnership TMA now expects to use the report to work with the municipalities to come up with recommendations for improvements for these intersections.
The elections for 2025 are now complete. Participation was rather low – six people voting by paper ballots and two votes online. Since there were no contested positions, this was rather straightforward, but participation in voting is an important process for any organization. For voting for 2026, we will try to do better making it a more formal and properly promoted activity well in advance of the voting window.
With that said, for 2025, the results are:
As we move to make Bike North Penn a more formal and effective organization in 2025, we will be asking for and hoping to get more participation from regulars at our meetings and events and reaching out to attract additional active members.
The support of all members of the group is appreciated! Please do keep bringing your ideas to Geary and I about how we can improve Bike North Penn in 2026.
Thank you!
William Jackson
President
Bike North Penn