Upper Merion Township & King of Prussia District Awarded $421,699 for First Avenue Linear Park

Upper Merion Township (UMT), in partnership with King of Prussia District, is proud to announce that UMT received a Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) grant through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development for $421,699 for constructing Phase Two of the First Avenue Linear Park in Moore Park KOP.

The Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to local government to encourage economic development through safe and reliable modes of transportation for residents of the Commonwealth. This program is jointly administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development and PennDOT under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The First Avenue Linear Park is one of 106 projects to receive a MFT grant in this funding cycle, totaling $54.7M.

“We are excited to move this project into Phase Two, and look forward to the day when we can welcome the public to the First Avenue Linear Park,” said Eric T. Goldstein, Executive Director of King of Prussia District.

Once complete, the First Avenue Linear Park will feature vibrant rain gardens and planting beds new solar bus shelters, pedestrian solar lighting, seating areas and programmable space, and a 2.6 mile, ADA-accessible multimodal recreational path connecting 24 privately owned parcels between North Gulph Road and Allendale Road.  The Linear Parkwill be open to the community and the 20,000 employees working in Moore Park.

Phase One, which will begin construction in the fall of 2019, will extend the existing Demonstration Park, located at 650 Park Avenue, down to 900 First Avenue (Arkema) and 933 First Avenue (GeoBlue) along both sides of First Avenue. Additionally, new sidewalks will be installed along the frontage of Valley Forge Casino Resort and Parkview Tower.

This spring, with additional funding opportunities, King of Prussia District will work with property owners and designers to begin design and engineering for Phase Two, which will extend the multimodal trail to Allendale Road.

To date, King of Prussia District has received $2.4M in state and federal funds to construct Phase One of the Linear Park.  King of Prussia District is providing the financial match for landscape design, engineering, permitting and legal expenses.  Additionally, UMT and King of Prussia District were awarded a $100,000 Montco 2040 Implementation Grant to improve bus shelters and stormwater infiltration along the Linear Park.