That may sound like a lot of money, but Doty said it equals about 1 percent of yearly highway and transit capital spending.
Coalition members, including Bartram’s Garden, the Clean Air Council, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Schuylkill River Park Alliance, and the William Penn Foundation have dubbed the proposed trail network "the Circuit." That name was suggested by Fairmount resident and cyclist David D’Alba.
Organizers said that expanding and connecting the paths would make Philadelphia more appealing to employers and people who want easy access to the outdoors to exercise or commute to work.
"There is a growing recognition that without being connected, this has less value," Doty said of the current bike paths.
In connection with the announcement, the Circuit Coalition unveiled a website, www.connectthecircuit.org, where bicyclists and walkers can plan trips using current trails and streets.
The Circuit would connect Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania and Mercer, Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey. Currently, the longest stretch of trails within the circuit measures 44 miles.
"These trails are an important part of what makes Philadelphia a great place to live, work, and raise our families," Nutter said.
Over the last two years, $28.2 million in federal funds and a $10 million grant from the William Penn Foundation have helped develop trails in the nine-county area.
Contact Miriam Hill at 215-854-5520 or hillmb@phillynews.com or on Twitter @miriamhill. Read the City Hall politics blog at www.heardinthehall.com.
