Greenways receives $1.5M for trail building in Schuylkill County

Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area has received a $1.5 million federal grant through PennDOT to help build 4.6 miles of trail planned between Saint Clair and Frackville.

The grant will serve as “foundational funding” for the connection of Saint Clair and Frackville, according to Greenways.

“This generous award from PennDOT sets this project in motion,” Julia Hurle, greenways trail director, was quoted in a news release.

An on-road section of trail in Saint Clair will connect to an off-road portion that continues for 3 miles to the Pennsylvania State Game Lands near Interstate 81 that will eventually connect to Frackville.

The non-motorized trail will roughly parallel Route 61 and cross the relocated Mount Carbon historic bowstring truss bridge, connect to the Coal Creek Commerce shopping plaza and pass through the center of Saint Clair Borough. The trail will be an ADA accessible, multi-use trail with a compacted aggregate surface.

As part of the federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program, the 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, according to the Greenways association.

Once fully funded, construction of the $2.4 million trail project could start in 2025, the association reports.

Once completed, the Schuylkill River Trail will run 120 miles from Frackville to Philadelphia.

State Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Twp., and Rep. Tim Twardzik, R-123, Butler Twp., described the funding as “highly competitive.”

“We’ve seen in places like Jim Thorpe and White Haven how these trails can breathe new life into our older communities,” Argall said. “By completing the Saint Clair to Frackville section, we’re bringing new visitors to the area.”

Beyond tourism, rail trails often promote health and wellness, provide alternative transportation routes, and can even enhance property values and community connectivity, Twardzik said.

Schuylkill River Greenways held a public meeting in Saint Clair on April 15 to discuss plans for extending the trail through the borough.

“With support from the Rich Family and Reading Anthracite, Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, the State Game Lands Commission, and local residents, we are looking forward to expanding the SRT in Schuylkill County,” Hurle said.

The Frackville Feasibility study can be found on the Schuylkill River Greenways’ website, schuylkillriver.org, and contains specific details of the proposed project.

Currently, over 80 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail are complete across the five counties of the Schuylkill River Watershed.

Schuylkill River Greenways is the nonprofit organization that has been tasked with completing the trail sections in Berks and its northern terminus in Schuylkill County.