Spring has sprung and the flowers are in bloom – time to get out on our region’s incredible trails to celebrate National Bike Month! Each week this month, MTR will be profiling trails in the Tri-State area. 

The Circuit, Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey’s regional trail network, is 750 miles of bicycle and pedestrian trails connecting communities from Trenton to Camden, Philadelphia and beyond. To date, over 300 miles of trail have been completed. If you’re biking, running or walking on the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail, the Monroe Township Bike Path or cross the Ben Franklin Bridge high above the Delaware River, you’re on the Circuit.

The Circuit continues to grow, due in no small part to the support from the William Penn Foundation, who announced an $8.6 million investment in the network last winter, in addition to a previous $10 million grant that funded Circuit trails beginning in 2011. By knitting together cultural attractions, public transportation and centers of employment in Camden and Philadelphia with open space, forests and historic sites in rural areas, investments in the Circuit allow the region to fully capitalize on the health, economic development, social and environmental benefits of existing trails.

One of the best ways to enjoy the Circuit is to attend one of its many events, including tonight’s Camden Night Garden Spring Festival. Or, you can really celebrate National Bike Month by riding out to Trenton or Princeton, hopping on NJ Transit and connecting with some of the other great trails we’ll be profiling in the coming weeks in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.

Need more convincing? Watch this short video highlighting the community benefits of the Circuit:

The Circuit – A Community Place from Civic Eye Collaborative on Vimeo.