
The completed demonstration project of the First Avenue Linear Park.
First Avenue Linear Park
On May 17, 2017, King of Prussia District officially opened the demonstration project for the First Avenue Linear Park, a 450 FT completed section of the linear park, located in the heart of Moore Park KOP.
In April 2015, King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township (UMT) started work on the visionary 2.6 mile First Avenue Linear Park. Once complete in 2020, Phase One of the linear park will transform currently under-utilized, private lawn areas into a cohesive, continuous, active and beautiful amenity open to the public. The First Avenue Linear Park will include multi-use sidewalks, lush landscaping, pedestrian lighting, active workstations, recreational games, benches and trash receptacles. Additional funding is needed to complete Phase Two of the linear park, which will continue the park from American Avenue to Allendale Road.
The first-of-its-kind linear park is a unique collaboration between King of Prussia District (a private, not-for-profit business improvement district), UMT, PennDOT and 21 private property owners (26 parcels) to create an active and vibrant amenity open to the public, utilizing access easements on private property.
In fall 2016, King of Prussia District began construction on the First Avenue Linear Park’s Demonstration Project to showcase many of the amenities that the full park will include.The First Avenue Linear Park’s demonstration project is funded, in part, by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority provided through UMT and managed by King of Prussia District, along with matching funds from Brandywine Realty Trust and King of Prussia District.
Benefits of the First Avenue Linear Park include, but are not limited to:
- Beautification and enhanced overall appeal of the business park community
- Increased connectivity throughout the business park
- Increased public space uses through pocket parks and sidewalks
- Enhanced multi-modal travel and traveler safety
- Removal of significant gaps within the business park’s pedestrian network and increased safety for pedestrians
- Economic revitalization
- Opportunities for green infrastructure
The First Avenue Linear Park is part of an overall ‘complete streets’ vision for First Avenue. Subsequent phases include:
- Road Diet adding bike lanes and safe, center turn lanes along First Avenue. Construction is now complete.
- King of Prussia Rail providing direct access with two station stops in the business park
- Proposed interchange improvements to better connect the business park to the PA Turnpike and Schuylkill Expressway
King of Prussia District, in partnership with UMT, has raised more than $4M for design and implementation of the First Avenue Linear Park and Road Diet.