King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township Celebrate Completion of First Avenue Linear Park and ‘Complete Streets’ Initiative

King of Prussia, PA (October 15, 2024) – On October 10, King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township representatives, joined by elected officials and members of the community, opened the First Avenue Linear Park with a ribbon cutting and celebration. The project was part of a ‘complete streets’ initiative in the Moore Park area of King of Prussia, which spanned 12 years and five (5) construction phases, and has significantly enhanced safety and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike.

Before the ribbon cutting ceremony, remarks were made by Pennsylvania State Senator Amanda Cappelletti, State Representative Tim Briggs, Upper Merion Township Supervisor Greg Waks and Eric Goldstein, President & CEO of King of Prussia District. Guests then strolled along the Linear Park to 933/935 First Avenue for a lively party featuring live music, complementary food and beverages, games and an art demo with the creator of the Linear Park’s first temporary art installation, KnitScapes. Guests also enjoyed activities that were representative of activations that King of Prussia District regularly hosts along the Linear Park, including ping-pong demonstrations, an urban beekeeping exhibit and bouquet-making.

“I believed in complete streets coming into office in 2020, so I’m very excited to see the completion of this project,” Pennsylvania State Senator Amanda Cappelletti shared with the crowd. “We know that when we can live, work and play in our communities, we are all happier and healthier. Thank you for having that vision for Upper Merion.≥/’]”

The First Avenue Linear Park’s central feature is an 8-12 foot wide multimodal path that stretches from Allendale Road to N. Gulph Road, linking 15 properties. The property owners each granted public access to the park. Amenities include public seating areas, a ping-pong table, a beehive, lush landscaping, rain gardens, solar-powered pedestrian lighting, trash receptacles and bus shelters. Properties along the Linear Park contribute to maintenance and programming throughout the year, which is financially matched and managed by King of Prussia District. King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township secured $4,972,639 in grant funding for the project. Financial assistance was provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Honorable Josh Shapiro, Governor, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Department of Community and Economic Development, Commonwealth Financing Authority, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and Montgomery County.

In 2019, King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township completed the First Avenue Road Diet, transforming the hazardous four-lane road into a safer three-lane road with a dedicated center turn lane. This important transportation safety project also introduced bicycle lanes, wider shoulders, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and a mid-block signalized pedestrian crosswalk. The project was partially funded by $455,856 in grant funding secured from PennDOT.

ABOUT UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP
Upper Merion Township is located in southeastern Pennsylvania, about 15 miles from Philadelphia. Over the last five decades, Upper Merion has developed into one of the most important activity centers of the region. The township has approximately 34,000 residents, hosts over 60,000 jobs, and offers over 28 million square feet of commercial space.

ABOUT KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT
Driven by a progressive vision of King of Prussia as Greater Philadelphia’s economic powerhouse and premier location for community and commerce, King of Prussia District is a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization that represents 431 commercial property owners with a combined $2.3B in assessed property value. Founded in 2010 through Upper Merion Township ordinance, King of Prussia District boldly pursues its mission of accelerating economic growth by making King of Prussia more vibrant, attractive and prosperous through work across five programs: Land Use & Zoning; Marketing & Communications; Physical Improvements; Research & Data Analytics; and Transportation.

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