POTTSTOWN PA – A second phase in construction of a 5-mile section of the Mill Creek Trail, that further expands the Schuylkill River Trail and connects it to the downtown districts of St. Clair and Frackville boroughs, won a federally funded $1.38 million grant Tuesday (May 19, 2026).
The money will be used by the Pottstown-based Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area to pay for completion of the entire section, its officials say. The project includes refurbishment of the 1878 Historic Bowstring Truss bridge as its centerpiece.
Both St. Clair and Frackville are located in Schuylkill County.
This trail section will roughly parallel U.S. Route 61, and create an active transportation alternative where none currently exists. It would offer “safe recreation and pedestrian commuting to shopping, restaurants, and access to health services,” officials add.
It represents the only multi-use trail corridor along the highway.
The downtown connections are anticipated to “help bring economic development opportunities to both boroughs,” according to said Greenways Trails Director Kent Himelright. The municipalities are currently working on downtown revitalization plans, he says.
How The Grant Will Be Used
The Mill Creek Trail extension introduce “one of the largest trail projects in Schuylkill County since the construction of the John B. Bartram Trail section 20 years ago,” Himelright notes.
The bulk of the grant will primarily be used for the 90-foot pedestrian bridge across Mill Creek, in the Coal Creek Commerce Center. It is considered a “critical safety feature” that will connect trail users to St. Clair from a shopping center, and keep them off busy roads and parking lots.
It also pays for locating a trailhead on the Pennsylvania Game Commission State Game Lands 326 parking lot off Route 61. The trailhead will be a shared-use space for trail users, hunters, hikers, and multiple state agencies.
The grant, part of the federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program, was passed through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
More than 80 miles of the Schuylkill River Trail are now complete across the five counties of the Schuylkill River Watershed. When fully completed, the trail will extend from Frackville to Philadelphia with more than 120 miles of multi-use trail.
Schuylkill River Greenways is the non-profit organization tasked with completing the trail sections in Berks County, and its northern terminus in Schuylkill County.
Photo provided by the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area
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