Reflecting on 5 Years of Landscapes3: Prospering and Connecting in Chester County
Posted August 19, 2024
We've been highlighting the achievements of Landscapes3 in its first five years of implementation, and last month we covered the Appreciate and Live goals. This month, we're moving on to the plan's final two goals — Prosper and Connect!
The county has made a priority to expand workforce development in recent years (as pertaining to the first recommendation under the Prosper goal), especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some ways this has been accomplished can be seen through the Chester County Commissioners creation of the Department of Workforce Development, as well as through the integration of PA CareerLink with the United Way Financial Stability Center, and a $2 million grant from the state's "Near Completers" program.
While it's obviously important to attract new businesses to Chester County, it's also equally important to retain and expand the county's existing businesses. The Economic Development Partners Initiative efforts for the Route 1 and Route 724 Corridors, the Chester County Agricultural Economic Strategic Plan, and the Chester County Heritage Tourism Plan all serve to make this possible by providing guidelines and resources to the businesses that make up our county.
Despite the hardships brought on by the pandemic, lots of new initiatives took place to help revitalize the county's urban centers. In Kennett Square, a new library was constructed and opened, providing a central hub for much of the community. In West Chester, the Borough took ownership of Gay Street, creating an open-air marketplace for businesses and visitors to enjoy. In Coatesville, there's been a mini renaissance with so much activity such as the Midway Arts Center, the Nth Solutions innovation center, and other buildings being revitalized. In Phoenixville, a large number of new apartments and townhouses has brought new residents and customers to the borough.
With so much prosperous activity comes the need to Connect the county's residents and visitors to the places they want to be. The county's Bicycles, Pedestrians & Transit: Active Transportation Inventory features a summary of findings and recommendations for all 73 of the county's municipalities. Additionally, CCPC developed a Complete Streets Policy to serve as a guide for making the county's roads and sidewalks accommodating for all users, regardless of their mode of transportation. And speaking of sidewalks, there were 82.2 miles of sidewalks added across the county from 2018-2023, as well as 5.2 miles of multipurpose trails!
In terms of public transportation and expanding regional rail service, Amtrak has been working with the City of Coatesville and other partners to reconstruct the city's 155-year-old train station. Other rail upgrades include Paoli Station and Phase 1 of the Exton Station. On a wider scale, the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority (SRPRA) was formed by Berks, Chester, and Montgomery counties to bring back rail service from Reading to Philadelphia.
Lastly, there's been much progress to create a countywide, interconnected trail network in support of recommendation 7 under the Landscapes3 Connect goal. Over the last five years there have been 5.7 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail resurfaced (as well as a new 4-mile section opened); the Chester Valley Trail was connected to the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown; a feasibility study was conducted for the municipalities in southern Chester County; and the Devault Trail Activation Master Plan was established.
As you can see, it's been a busy five years with lots of implementation happening across Chester County! Check back next month as we highlight the final section of Landscapes3 through its Vision and Map.