Greenway Planning

Inter-Municipal Greenway Planning

As part of a continuing project to foster inter-municipal cooperation, DVRPC is preparing a series of short "how-to" guides for elected and appointed officials. The purpose of these guides is to demonstrate how local officials can launch specific cooperative ventures with their neighbors to improve services, reduce costs and enhance the quality of life of their residents. The fourth report in this series, Inter-Municipal Greenway Planning, describes the potential benefits of working with neighboring communities to create an inter-municipal greenway, with or without a trail. The report describes a basic greenway planning process; identifies potential sources of technical and financial assistance; and presents several case studies of ongoing greenway planning initiatives.

Rancocas Creek Implementation Plan For The Main Stem

Through research, analysis and public meetings, this plan identifies the major environmental, recreational and sense of place issues facing the Rancocas Main Stem, provides a rationale for why they are important, and proposes recommended actions to address them. The study area covers Delanco, Riverside, Delran, Moorestown, Willingboro, Mt. Laurel and Westampton Townships in Burlington County. Partners in this greenway effort include the Rancocas Conservancy and the Burlington County Office of Land Use.

Rancocas Creek Implementation Plan For The Main Branches

This project continues the Rancocas Creek greenway planning effort along the North, South and Southwest Branches of the Rancocas Creek to their intersection with the Pineland's Boundary. The study area also includes the Barton's Run tributary and headwaters of the Southwest Branch through Medford, Evesham & Voorhees Townships. Much of the mapping of the area had been been completed through a grant from the NJ Local Coastal Planning Grant Program. The current planning effort is being funded through a grant from William Penn Foundation and DVRPC. Partners are Rancocas Conservancy, Burlington County and the municipalities.

Assunpink Creek Greenway Plan

This project focuses on protecting the fragile stream environment and exploring recreational opportunities along the Assunpink Creek in Hamilton and Lawrence Townships, Mercer County. From its headwaters in Monmouth County to its mouth at the Delaware River in Trenton, the creek travels through a wide range of land uses including two wildlife preserves, an agricultural area, a recreational county park, swampland, suburban development and a heavily urbanized setting. Most of the creek is already part of a greenway system linking the Van Ness and Assunpink Wildlife Management Areas. Combined with current greenway efforts in Trenton, establishment of a greenway through Lawrence and Hamilton Townships would complete the green link from the Assunpink's headwaters to its mouth. The planning effort is a partnership between DVRPC, the Delaware and Raritan Greenway, Inc, a steering committee made up of stakeholders in the region, and residents along the Assunpink. Funding is through a grant from the Mercer County Green Links Project and DVRPC.

Upper Mantua Creek Greenway Plan

This report addresses how to achieve the following five major objectives:

  • Preserve a natural vegetative buffer along the Mantua Creek and Duffield Run;
  • Manage stormwater on a watershed basis to more effectively control runoff quantity and quality;
  • Educate and involve the public on water quality issues, the importance of stream buffers and good land stewardship
  • Provide sufficient public access, recreation and educational opportunities along the Mantua so as to instill appreciation for the creek and discourage trespass on private property; and
  • Protect farmland, historic resources, lakes and other scenic areas to preserve the area's heritage and to boost community pride.

The study area extends from the Mantua Creek's headwaters in Glassboro to the dam at Bethel Mill Park, and along one of its tributaries, Duffield Run in Washington Township. Areas of the creek in Pitman and Mantua Township are also covered. Partners in the greenway planning effort include the Gloucester County Federation of Watersheds and the Gloucester County Planning Department. A Mantua Creek Watershed Association has formed as a result of the planning effort.

Proposed Trail Network For Abington Township

This study identifies a variety of potential on-road and off-road routes that may be used to provide continuous travel and access to significant destinations throughout Abington Township including schools, transit, shopping and parks and recreation facilities. Currently, the Township has received more than $700,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and ISTEA to plan, design and implement Phase I (demonstration phase) of the network which will link Hillside Cemetery to Noble Station. Partners in the project are the township, the Abington Trails Advisory Committee and interested residents.

Ridley Creek Greenway Maps

DVRPC created detailed GIS greenway maps showing land use, natural features, ownership, historic resources and zoning of parcels along the Ridley Creek from its headwaters in Chester County to its mouth at the Delaware River at the border of Chester City and Eddystone, in Delaware County. A Ridley Creek Conservation Plan was developed by Natural Lands Trust.