Last month, the Schuylkill River Trail was named in the top 10 trails in the country. What led our trail to this recognition is our 200 miles of scenic views, stores along the trail, and the new bike share program. We all know, especially Norristonians, that our portion of the trail can be much better to make us the best.
Each weekend, I bike 20 miles on the trail both ways. Saturday I like to go to Phoenixville and Sunday I go the opposite way to Manayunk. Norristown is smacked right in the middle of these two popular locations, however, we can't seem to get bikers off at our stop.
There are two ways to get off the trail in Norristown, with the third being overgrown(Crawford Park). The first point is at Riverfront Park aka Haws Avenue entrance. This point of our park can be used to support the bikers who need to stop for a break in between stops. Pictured above is a closed store on the trail right above Riverfront Park. It doesn't seem to be listed for sale/lease, however, this is prime real estate for a pub, cafe or quick-service restaurant. If anyone could let me know how I can get in contact with the owner, I'd love to see a community cleanup on this part of the trail and get the ball rolling. Conshohocken Brew Company is in the same situation and was packed with bikers. There was actually a problem with not enough room for additional bikes..which is a good problem for them!
The next stop is the Norristown Transportation Center stop. This area is where our businesses on Main Street and DeKalb can really benefit from the traffic. I encourage businesses to seek approval from zoning to allow A-frame or yard signs at this stop directing bikers to their businesses. Also, bike racks need to become more readily available in these areas. If a business knows parking is difficult in their area, they can look to purchase a bike rack and advertise that they have parking available for bikes. Good quality racks begin around $300, but can pay for itself in months with new business. "If you build it, they will come." Sorry, had to throw in a Field of Dreams reference in!
Signage is also important to let bikers know "hey, we're open for business!" Getting signs at these openings can drive more revenue to our downtown businesses almost instantly. Riverbend Cycles has capitalized on this easy marketing move. They used a colorful A-frame to let the bikers know there is a shop just for them if they need equipment or repairs while riding. Norristown doesn't have a bike shop near the trail, however, there are some open storefronts on Main Street where one should be. Big hint!
Even if it's an event happening that day or soon, a sign reminds pedestrians to take a brake from the trail and stop by. This Farmers' Market sign was placed right on the trail and there was another sign along the trail that reads "Farmers' Market each Sunday." Simple, yet effective!
It's not too late for us to begin making these adjustments to boost traffic along Main Street. Pictured above is the new Lafayette Street corridor project. Not to sound bias, but this part of the trail is my favorite to drive past because of all the possibilities available when this finally opens. Bike traffic is always heavy on this part of the trail between Norristown and Conshohocken..the trail is also freshly paved! Once motorists begin to use this new portion of Lafayette, we can see some benefit to our businesses nearby. Personally, I would hate to see a billboard here because it will take away from the beauty of the historic buildings and factories. I will say that opening this area should encourage those businesses to clean the back of their properties and put their own sign to let motorists know they're open. It's hard to see in this picture, but there is already a "Welcome to Norristown" sign ready for when this street opens. So as another hint to those businesses with overgrown ivy/weeds on the back of their building...now is the time to start preparing and maximizing your curb appeal.
I would love to hear other suggestions on what needs to happen to bring bikers off the trail. There are also several councils and organizations you can join that focus on finding ways to improve the trail. I attended a few and Norristown is not well-represented. If you have free time, I suggest joining one. You can find out more about different groups working on the trail here.
