Lower Gwynedd, Whitpain and Whitemarsh receive Montco 2040 Implementation Grants

The Montgomery County Commissioners have announced that 13 projects in the County will receive grants from the Montco 2040 Implementation Grant Program.

The grant awards account for just under $2,500,000 across the 13 municipalities. The County received 23 applications totaling just over $4 million in requests from 22 municipalities during the 2024 cycle.

“In this ninth year of grant funding, the County continues to receive innovative applications aimed at implementing the County’s comprehensive plan, Montco 2040: A Shared Vision,” said Jamila H. Winder, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “These grant awards will assist municipalities in making targeted physical improvements that achieve real progress toward the goals of the plan and the plan’s themes of Connected Communities, Sustainable Places, and Vibrant Economy.”

Projects were evaluated in terms of impact, equity, county and local planning consistency, project readiness, and local project funding by a committee made up of planning commission board members and interdepartmental county staff. Projects were also given heightened consideration when addressing one of three focus categories for 2024: Walk Montco and Bike Montco – Trails, Paths, Sidewalk Connections and Bike Facilities; Downtown and Community Destination Support; or Adaptation and Resiliency.

“The latest $2.5 million in Montco 2040 grants shows our commitment to sustainable, livable, vibrant communities in every corner of Montgomery County,” said Neil Makhija, Montgomery County Commissioner. “From investments in solar installations to parks and trails to infrastructure for ADA accessibility and climate resiliency, we think government’s job is to plan for the future for all of our residents. I can’t wait to see these projects completed as quickly as possible in collaboration with our municipalities.”

“I'm confident the grants awarded this year are aligned with our goals to maintain Montgomery County's natural beauty and community bonds," said Thomas DiBello, Montgomery County Commissioner. "These projects will ensure municipalities across the County are more accessible to their residents and more conducive to local business and tourism."

The grant program has awarded nearly $17.8 million to 140 grants in 53 municipalities in Montgomery County to date. The 13 projects awarded grants in 2024 are highlighted below:

Abington Township 
Ardsley Wildlife Sanctuary Phase 2 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $151,645 

This project is Phase 2 of the rehabilitation and development of the Ardsley Wildlife Sanctuary. The proposed project will extend the ADA accessible path to the existing basin, address erosive runoff with natural stormwater features (vegetated swales, a rain garden, and spillway), remove and manage the reemergence of invasive plant material, restore forest, riparian and meadow habitat, and provide recreational and educational opportunities.

Collegeville Borough 
Bum’s Hollow Perkiomen Trail Connection 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $250,000 

This project would connect the middle of the 400 block of Main Street to the Perkiomen Trail through a borough-owned property at the end of Clamer Avenue and along "Bums Hollow," which is an unimproved road easement that was dedicated to the borough. This will help fulfill an important component of the borough’s revitalization strategy, which is to have a connection to the Perkiomen Trail.

Hatfield Township 
Clemens Park Stormwater Basin 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $200,000 

This proposal would fund the construction of a stormwater basin at John S. Clemens Memorial Park (Clemens Park). With the recent addition of new acreage to this park, a comprehensive park plan was created to best envision the future of this property and how it can meet the community’s needs. This basin is part of the park plan’s implementation.

Lower Gwynedd Township 
Penllyn Train Station Trail Connection 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $250,000 

This is a proposed trail extension to connect Penllyn Train Station to Pen-Ambler Park and Ambler Yards, a mixed-use development, where there is currently no sidewalk and unsafe conditions for pedestrians. The trail would begin at the maintenance access to Pen-Ambler Park, where a crosswalk carries trail users to the north side of Pen-Ambler Road, continuing to the intersection of Pen-Ambler Road and Old Penllyn Pike, where crosswalks are provided across both streets and a sidewalk extension connects the trail to the train station.

Lower Merion Township 
Ludington Library Solar Installation Project 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $250,000 

This project will help the township to lead by example by meeting its goal of transitioning township facilities and operations to clean energy sources by 2035. The project would result in the installation of a photovoltaic (PV) solar array on the lower roof of Ludington Library, as well as two ground-mounted PV solar canopies over portions of the library parking lot.

Lower Salford Township 
Yoder Road Sidewalk Connections Project 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $113,650 

This project involves the construction of approximately 900 linear feet of new concrete sidewalk (5 feet wide with a 4-foot buffer) along the south side of Yoder Road between Vernal Lane and Kulp Road. The project scope also includes the installation of a minor segment of roadway curb as well as associated ADA pedestrian accommodations, driveway modifications, and street trees. This will connect several local destinations to each other, including Indian Creek Middle School.

Pottstown Borough 
Sidewalk Replacement and Tree Protection Project 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $250,000 

This proposal would fund the rehabilitation and replacement of sidewalks in 33 locations in the core business and residential district, where street trees have damaged the sidewalks. An arborist will be engaged to determine if the trees remain viable or if replacement is necessary. Flexi-Pave will be used to surround the trees, and the sidewalks will be replaced with similar concrete pavers, where needed.

Red Hill Borough 
Parks Improvement Phase I (ADA) 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $229,230 

This proposal would fund the borough’s ADA upgrades to two parks—Red Hill Park and the Bio-Retention Garden. Upgrades include ADA parking spaces, sidewalks, and ADA-compliant paths and ramps.

Royersford Borough 
Victory Park Improvements - Phase II 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $73,500 

This project focuses on upgrading the park's infrastructure. The project includes establishing permeable, paved pathways that are ADA accessible, upgrading playground surfaces from wood chips to poured-in-place surfaces to meet ADA standards, and replacing all current picnic tables and bench seating with an equal selection of ADA-accessible options.

Trappe Borough 
Speaker's House Restoration 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $250,000 

This application was submitted on behalf of Historic Trappe, a local nonprofit organization, for funds to assist in the completion of the restoration of the Speaker's House by 2026, so this historic site can be fully open to the public for the America 250 celebrations. While exterior renovations are largely complete, interior renovations and systems upgrades are needed to make this building ready for use by the general public.

Upper Moreland Township 
Woodlawn Park Development 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $225,000 

This project helps implement the recently adopted Woodlawn Park Master Plan and will assist with extensive native plantings, stormwater management, benches, trash receptacles, and a USGS historic marker and plaza as the township prepares to redevelop this park.

Whitemarsh Township 
Spring Mill Junction Improvements 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $228,552 

This project focuses on enhanced safety in the Spring Mill Junction area at the intersection of a SEPTA rail station and associated parking, county-owned open space, as well as the Schuylkill River Trail. Proposed safety improvements include thermoplastic crosswalk markings and other improvements at the intersection of the trail and Station Avenue, a new raised speed table/crosswalk from the Tricycle Cafe across Station Avenue, and construction of a deck gathering area for improved pedestrian and bicyclist safety, pop-up events, and a place where bicyclists and pedestrians can rest and congregate out of the roadway.

Whitpain Township 
Bike Fix-it Stations and Bike Racks 
Montco 2040 Grant Award: $10,374 

These grant funds will help purchase three bicycle Fix-It Plus Stations with air prime kits and eight bike racks to be installed at several township parks and open space areas. This small but impactful project will add to Whitpain’s ongoing efforts to be a more bike-friendly community.

Total Amount Awarded in 2024: $2,481,951 
Total Number of Grants: 13