Cross County Trail & Fort Washington Office Park Infrastructure Improvement Program

Fort Washington Office Park Infrastructure Improvement Program

Upper Dublin Township values the important commitment that our businesses and property owners have made to locate here. Due to the Fort Washington Office Park’s aging infrastructure, the Township embarked on a major revitalization effort in 2014. This identified a number of improvement projects which are now in varying stages of completion, construction, planning and development. The Township also authorized creation of the Upper Dublin Township Municipal Authority in 2017 to continue advancement of these projects. Here is an update on the initiative.

Virginia Drive Bridges and Culvert Construction Complete

The Virginia Drive Pine Run Bridges Reconstruction project and Rapp Run Culvert Replacement project are part of Upper Dublin Township’s ongoing program of infrastructure improvement in the Fort Washington Office Park. The two bridges on Virginia Drive were completed on time in June, 2017. The replacement of the culvert on Virginia Drive to the west (by Rush Gear) was completed July, 2017. The two structurally-deficient bridges were reconstructed at a total cost of approximately $6.2 Million with over $4.4 Million funded by PennDOT and $1.8 Million funded by the Township. The deteriorated metal arch culvert on Virginia Drive was completely replaced at a total cost of approximately $1.6 Million with $0.4 Million funded by the state and $1.2 Million funded by the Township.

The Virginia Drive detours were removed and the ‘No Turns’ restriction has returned to the Virginia Drive - Camp Hill Road intersection.

Virginia Drive & Camp Hill Road Signal

Construction plans have been advertised for bids to construct the traffic signal and associated intersection road work. When complete, turns will be permitted except for left turns from Virginia Drive onto Camp Hill Road (both directions). Construction began this Winter and is estimated to be completed in Summer, 2023. Project estimate is $550k with funding from a Montgomery County grant and Land Development contributions.

Fort Washington Cross County Trail & Road Diet—Middle Section

Construction plans were advertised in November, 2022 for work on Delaware and Virginia Drive from the Commerce Drive signal to the Rapp Run culvert. The road will be reconstructed with added drainage and narrowed from the existing four lane condition to a three lane condition (one lane in each direction and a common center turn lane). The Cross County Trail will be constructed to connect with completed sections on either side. The Authority is partnering with NWWA to replace an aging water main and BCWSA to install a new sanitary force main within the project limits. Construction will begin in Winter, 2023 and continue through 2024. This $5.1 Million project is funded by the Municipal Authority, a Montgomery County grant, a PA DCED grant and a PA DCNR grant. NWWA and BCWSA will fund their respective utility installations and associated roadway reconstruction.

Read about the Middle Section Project from the Ambler Gazette by clicking here.

Fort Washington “Zip Ramp”

Right of Way has been acquired and final coordination is being completed with the PA Turnpike Commission to construct the new off-ramp from the Fort Washington PA Turnpike interchange directly to Commerce Drive. The ramp will become the fourth approach at the recently constructed traffic signal on Commerce Drive. Project Estimate is $3.0 Million with funding by the Municipal Authority, a Montgomery County grant, a PA DCED grant and a Land Development contribution.

Fort Washington Cross County Trail & Road Diet—Phase 3 Commerce

The  Phase 3 Commerce Drive Cross County Trail (CCT) & Road Diet highlighted in green will begin construction in Summer 2023 to complete the CCT between Pennsylvania Ave and Susquehanna Rd, as well as continue the three lane Road Diet between the Pennsylvania Ave intersection and the PA 309 overpass. Drainage will be installed, the Bodenstein Channel culvert will be replaced and the Bodenstein Channel banks will be cleared and stabilized. Project Estimate is $4.75 Million with funding by the Municipal Authority, a PennDOT Multimodal grant and a PA DCED grant. NWWA and BCWSA will fund their respective utility installations and associated roadway reconstruction.

Project Updates & Construction Announcements

In September 2016, Upper Dublin Township Commissioners authorized the formation of a Municipal Authority to manage the ongoing office park improvement program. In 2019, the office park was rezoned to create the Greater Fort Washington District.

The Municipal Authority meets monthly to oversee the planning, design and financing of the Park’s improvement projects. These meetings are open to the public and held on the second Friday of every month, 7:30 am. Municipal Authority meetings are held in the auditorium of the Upper Dublin Public Library building at 520 Virginia Drive, Fort Washington, PA. Minutes and videos of all meetings are posted on the Township website, www.UpperDublin.net/Government.

The Municipal Authority has developed a priority list for transportation and infrastructure projects, with civil engineering support.

At its January 2018 meeting, the Municipal Authority authorized the issuance of a $6 million bond to finance the continuation of this improvement project work. The MA’s annual debt service for this bond and operating expenses are being paid by an annual assessment levied on all properties, except single family residential, within the MA’s service area.

The 2023 annual assessment is levied on all properties except single family residential, based on their total assessed values (land and improvements). Tax-exempt and municipal properties are subject to the assessment. For its part, Upper Dublin Township will pay $11,024.75 in annual assessments, for 520 Virginia Drive and six other municipally-owned properties in the Municipal Authority Service Area.

What’s To Come in 2024

In 2024, the Dreshertown Road Improvements Project is scheduled for construction to:

• Extend the Cross County Trail from Susquehanna Road to Beacon Hill/Bantry Drive along Virginia Drive and Dreshertown Road.
• Widen Virginia Drive & Dreshertown Road to five lanes from Susquehanna Road to north of Limekiln Pike.
• Widen Dreshertown Road to three lanes from north of Limekiln Pike to Beacon Hill/Bantry Drive.
• Install missing sections of sidewalk.
• Replace a deteriorated culvert below Dreshertown Road.
• Improve sight distance from Kirks Lane. (See Photo below)