ML20203P941
| ML20203P941 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Limerick  |
| Issue date: | 11/28/1984 |
| From: | INTERIOR, DEPT. OF, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE |
| To: | |
| References | |
| OL-I-LEA-E-021, OL-I-LEA-E-21, NUDOCS 8605080383 | |
| Download: ML20203P941 (2) | |
Text
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- . f Environmental Assessment, Draft General Management Plan, June
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Valley Forge National llistoric,al Park pj;
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park, carries a heavy volume of truck traffic and connects with PA
,Wo 23 to the north and US 202 to the south.
PA 363 serves as an
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cxtension of PA 23 and as a park access road from the east.
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Traffic counts taken at the Valley Creek ridge indicate a volum h
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cxceeding 14,000 vehicles daily.
The distribution of east-we: t-traffic through the park is as follows:
9,000 vehicles on PA 21) cP M
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4,000 on Gulph Road, and 1,200 on PA 252.
Peak hour volumes op c$.
23 are at 7:00-8:00 a.m.
and 4:00-5:00 p.m.
with approximately -
1,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.
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P At present.PA 23 and PA 252 are important to both external and
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I through-traffic movement and to park visitation.
The commuter or i
i commercial vehicle traveling east or west on PA 23 has no j
i rrasonable alternative but to pass through the park.
Thus, the 4
visitor frequently finds vehicles crowding behind him, encouraging
}y him to proceed faster, and lessening his opportunity to enjoy the park.
The park visitor should observe Valley Forge at a slow, p
unheeded pace, in contrast, commercial and commuter vehicles view N-1 the park as the shortest route to their destinations and are in turn y{
frustrated by the slow-moving park visitor. Generally, the park i,y4k visitor tends to drive at the speed limit or less,.but the pressure ir N t
of the commuter traffic sometimes forces traffic flow to exceed posted speed limits.
All travelers must remain alert to avoid 45 potential accidents.
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One may enter Valley Forge National Historical Park at Washington's
, hj headquarters at the western end, at the visitor center at the castern end, or indirectly from the south on PA 252, Yellow
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Springs Road, or Gulph Road. The park is crisscrossed by a
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network of roads that ultimately connect to major transportation
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arteries.
The variety of park entrances and the abundance of Y
internally penetrating roads make it relatively easy for external
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traffic to cut through the park from any direction, using minor kn%.@
3 roads as shortcuts to the arteries.
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The intersection o' PA 23 and PA 252 at the western entrance to <:
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the park creates considerable conflict between commuter traffic east su, g g
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and west on PA 23 and heavy truck traffic traveling north and
'e' south on PA 252.
To compound this problem, the intersection lleg t]
at the bottom of a steep grade and is also a visitor entranceg Jf g
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intersection in traveling to Washington's headquarters, a heavilg N g.
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visited attraction in the park.
Immediately to the southeast of the park the Schuylkill Expresswag
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and the Pennsylvania Turnpike converge.
Traffic from this locatios ?
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l is routed up PA 363 past the Upper Merion industrial /commerciq y y
$l development to the eastern entrance of the park.
At this majog m -4 1n
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intersection PA 363 joins PA 23, and Outer Line Defense Drive joint E 2 F
j' Valley Forge Road.
Commuters on PA 363 and Valley Forge Road * "*
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usually continue north to PA 23.
The visitor, however, must make a dangerous left turn into the park across the path of heavy l
commuter traffic.
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Another transportation facility in Valley Forge is the one-lane
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Betzwood Bridge across the Schuylkill River.
This. dilapidated but i
g, picturesque bridge handles one-way traffic from the Betzwood picnic
! y& e and boat launch area.
The. Knox Covered - Bridge,. which crosses I
Valley Creek, is also one lane but serves two-way traffic.
The
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bridge, a historic structure, is ' the property of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation' and is in some danger of destruction W
i from flooding of. Valley Creek.
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Creek:
Two other bridges span Valley iN One carries PA 23 traffic near Washington's headquarters e
and appears adequate; the other. serves very limited utilitarian
, (ns, traffic between Lafayette's quarters and Yellow Springs Road.
tm 5J Two railroad lines pass through the park.
The Reading Railroad l
- Se line follows the south side of the Schuylkill River, -and trains stop Ijn{
at the Valley Forge Park train station. The station has recently r/m
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been renovated, and the parking lot has been improved.
A former station located near Washington's headquarters is no longer a l
{ l fl scheduled stop along the Reading route.
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in 1976, SEPTA initiated increased train service to the Valley Forge station from central city Philadelphia for a period of three months.
The state park also initiated ta; fringe parking at the Valley Forge Service Plaza of the ial}
bus service into the park. Pennsylvania Turnpike System, with shuttle d3 Although this has not been repeated, trains stop at the Valley Forge Park train station every day.
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Another railroad, the Penn Central, is located immediately north of
- gi the park and serves industrial areas.
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10 Because of the large area covered by the park and the naturts and g3 I
placement of historical exhtbits, it is essential that vehicles bt, used j
j in touring the park.
The circulation of vehicles, lto visitor to guice himself, safety of the route, and interpretation of ease of the i
i the park are all critical factors to internal traffic flow.
Many i
jd, exhibits or points of interest are in full view from the road; l
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consequently, distractions are common.
Many of the two-way roads
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are narrow, steep, and curved. There are times when decisions l
j M; must be made as to which route" to take or which attraction to visit, i
i Many routes are i
deceiving, and disorienting, and the visitor is
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frequently confused by the abundance of alternate paths and may j
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j cd even miss a portion of the park unintentionally.
Routes such as 23 and 252 are extremely hazardous to cross because of heavy traffic.
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. Numerous internal road. 'are frequently used as shortcuts to arrive l
j at either end of the sark.
Some routes tend to destroy the interpretive and aesthetic value of park sites.
Traffic along Gulph j
and Baptist roads crosses throu0h the Grand Parade grounds; j
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