Design Phase for Segment 5 of the Valley Forge Gateway Trail is Underway

After a competitive bid process, King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township have selected TPD, in conjunction with SAS Geospatial and Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, to conduct preliminary engineering and easement surveys for Segment 5 of the Valley Forge Gateway Trail (VFGT).

This critical segment between the First Avenue Linear Park, Topgolf and the Village at Valley Forge/King of Prussia Town Center connects the trail along North Gulph Road to entertainment venues, busy commercial centers and residential developments.

In 2025, King of Prussia District was awarded Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program (GTRP) funding for preliminary design and engineering. The GTRP award from the Commonwealth Financing Authority is made for planning and development of multimodal trails like the VFGT. The Segment 5 scope will include a public engagement process to establish a preferred trail design and alignment, preliminary engineering and coordination with property owners and stakeholders along the route. The District received submissions from seven highly qualified firms from the RFP advertised in August. The review committee was drawn to TPD’s experience and understanding of the project area while offering additional services beyond the base scope of work, all within the outlined budget.

This next big step in the design process is a testament to the importance of a regional multimodal trail network for Upper Merion.  First introduced in the Valley Forge Park Alliance’s 2018 North Gulph Road Trail Feasibility Study with TPD as the consultant, the proposed VFGT will create a direct link between the Valley Forge National Historical Park and the multifamily residential developments, healthcare facilities and retailers in the Village at Valley Forge and King of Prussia Town Center. Since then, the District, Upper Merion Township, PennDOT, Montgomery County, Valley Forge National Historical Park and other public and private partners have advanced all seven trail segments through different stages of planning, design, construction and operation. In September 2026, the District launched the Valley Forge Gateway Trail Partnership, a coalition working to turn a long-imagined trail connection into reality.

The Circuit Trails Coalition, a partnership of organizations advocating for a multi-use trail network across nine counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, identified the Valley Forge Gateway Trail as the #1 trail segment in the region to improve access to parks and recreation.  The group’s 2022 Gap Analysis of the Circuit Trails Network also identified this proposed trail as the #1 priority on the PA circuit for access to employment.

To stay in the loop about the Valley Forge Gateway Trail, sign-up join the Trail Partnership’s e-mail list here.