NEED FOR THE CHESTER CREEK

RAIL-TO-TRAIL PROJECT

Delaware County plays a significant role in the workings of Southeastern Pennsylvania. The county is home to a diversified manufacturing and service base that powers the region’s economy. It is home to educational institutions that develop the region’s, and the nation’s, leaders of tomorrow. Delaware County’s present impact on the surrounding region is a continuation of its long history of economic and intellectual contributions to our nation.

However, to continue to be a force in the region, and the nation, the county must address quality of life issues for its residents, and plan for the future. Quality of life has become more important to residential location choice over the past few decades. Delaware County faces serious consequences to housing values, the tax base, and employment opportunities if quality of life issues in the County are not addressed. Land for parks and recreation is currently 5000 acres below what is needed. Nearly 60,000 residents have already left Delaware County, mostly for surrounding communities, in the last 25 years. During the same period, oddly enough, almost 25% of our open land was lost to development, and the pressure to develop the remaining open land continues.

Converting abandoned rail corridors to linear bands of recreational open space is an attractive way to improve the quality of life and sense of community pride in existing developments. Delaware County has the opportunity to convert several existing abandoned corridors into valuable amenities that will maintain and improve the County's attractiveness as a place to live, work, and raise a family. This project focuses on one of these corridors, the Chester Creek Branch, that runs through Aston, Chester, and Middletown townships.

In addition to quality of life issues, the county must address its problems with dwindling open space, aging housing and infrastructure, segregation of communities along socioeconomic and racial lines, and traffic saturated transportation corridors. Also, the county is rich with history, yet much of this history is not proudly displayed for our residents and visitors.