An ambitious goal of nonprofits and local governments has been to create a continuous 120-mile trail along the Schuylkill River connecting Philadelphia with Frackville in Schuylkill County.

The project has been under development since the 1980s, writes Gabriela Martinez for WITF, appearing at WHYY.

Schuylkill River Greenways is leading the trail’s development, which so far covers 70 miles, including more than 30 miles between southeastern Philadelphia and Parker Ford, Chester County.

The trail breaks off there but picks up again in Pottstown, continuing for 20 miles until it gets to Reading.

Montgomery County is closing the gap between Pottstown and Parker Ford with a project that should be finished by this time next year, said Tim Fenchel, deputy director of Schuylkill River Greenways.

“Once that section is done, it will be one continuous trail from downtown Philadelphia all the way to the city of Reading, which would be probably over 40 miles or so,” Fenchel said.

About a mile of the Schuylkill River Trail, to be referred to as the “River View” section, still needs to be completed in Reading, along with about 40 to 45 miles in Berks and Schuylkill Counties.

Find out more about the Schuylkill River Trail at WHYY.