Patriots Path Will Some Day Link Malvern and Valley Forge

Read through the comprehensive plans of East Whiteland, Tredyffrin and Malvern, and you'll notice a common thread—the Patriots Path.

The Patriots Path is an ongoing project that will one day allow pedestrians and bicyclists to travel, via non-motorized trail, to three major historical sites:

• Paoli Battlefield in Malvern Borough
• Valley Forge National Historical Park in Tredyffrin
• Battle of the Clouds Park in East Whiteland

The county-controlled Chester Valley Trail will serve as the east-west spine of the path, with north-south spurs branching off to other parks and places of interest.

Parts of the path have already been completed, such as Phase I of the Chester Valley Trail in East Whiteland. But it will be years, possibly even decades, before the original destinations are fully connected.

Bob O'Leary, who heads the Friends of the Chester Valley Trail, hopes that when Phase II is completed in 2013, residents along that stretch will gain interest in completing the Patriots Path.

Even after all the currently proposed segments are built, more segments could be added to the trail network, connecting the path to other historical sites and town centers.

"Patriots Path is actually more of an identity, not a specific trail that will be open at a specific time," said Jake Michael of the Chester County Planning Commission.

That identity is shaped in large part by "The Patriots Path Plan," a guide released by the Chester County in 2009.

The fact that all three municipalities incorporated the guide into their comprehensive plans helps to increase the chances it will reach fruition.

"If we say 'We’re building a trail, give us funding,' lots of municipalities are doing that," Michael said. "If we say, 'It's not just a trail, but walking paths and sidewalks, linking suburban areas like Malvern and Revolutionary War sites like grave sites,' nobody else can say that. It makes us unique."

That uniqueness can mean the difference between success and failure when it comes to the competitive world of securing grant money.

The roots of the Patriots Path go back to February 2002, when the Chester County Commissioners adopted an open space preservation plan called "Linking Landscapes." The 750-page tome called for, among many other things, a feasibility study for linking two historic sites of the American Revolution.

"The key destination points are Valley Forge Park and the Paoli Massacre site. That was the initial impetus for the project, to link those historic sites," said Michael.

Once the trail reaches Valley Forge, the "crown jewel" of the regional local trail system, it can connect to the Schuylkill River Trail and the Perkiomen Valley Trail. That growing network would allow bikers and hikers along the path to reach downtown Philadelphia and possibly even the Appalachian Trail.

Patriots Path at a glance

There are four major segments of the trail:

• Valley Forge Segment: 1.8 miles connecting Chester Valley Trail and Valley Forge National Historical Park.
• Cedar Hollow Segment: 1.8 miles running northward from the Chester Valley Trail. An additional 1-mile extension will connect this segment to the Valley Creek Segment at Valley Creek Park.
• Valley Creek Segment: 1 mile connecting the Chester Valley Trail to Valley Creek Park, East Whiteland's largest park.
• Malvern Segment: 1.4 miles connecting the Chester Valley Trail and the Paoli Memorial Grounds.

The 2009 guide predicted that trail maintenance will cost about $7,000 per mile annually. Maintenance and construction costs will be the responsibility of the respective municipalities. Estimated costs (in 2009 dollars):

Valley Forge Segment: $610,000

Malvern Segment: $787,000

Cedar Hollow Segment: $1,448,000

Valley Creek Segment: $174,000

Total: $3,019,000

For more information on the Patriots Path, visit the Chester County Planning Commission website or download the extensive guide (PDF) from the Tredyffrin Township website.