Turnpike Corridor Vision

Prepared by the Montgomery County Planning Commission, 2015

MONTGOMERY COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Josh Shapiro, Chair
Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH, Vice Chair
Bruce L. Castor, Jr., Commissioner

Planning Commission Board Members

Steven Kline, Chair
Dulcie F. Flaharty, Vice Chair
Robert E. Blue, Jr.
Jill Blumhardt
David L. Cohen, AICP
Scott Exley
Charles J. Tornetta
Rev. John H. West, III
Rachel Yoka

Jody L. Holton, AICP, Executive Director

Turnpike Corridor Vision

Prepared by the Montgomery County Planning Commission, 2015

In partnership or cooperation with:

Upper Merion Township
Norristown Municipality
Plymouth Township
Whitpain Township
Whitemarsh Township
Upper Dublin Township
Upper Moreland Township
Horsham Township
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Boles, Smyth Associates, inc.
McCormick Taylor
Contents

General Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Turnpike Interchanges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Business Park Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
King of Prussia Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Gulph Mills/Swedeland Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Norristown/Plymouth Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Plymouth Meeting/Blue Bell Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Fort Washington Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Willow Grove Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Horsham Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Turnpike Corridor Vision, describes the future transportation and land use visions for
business parks near turnpike interchanges.
General Vision

The Turnpike Corridor is currently the key
transportation and economic corridor in the county,
providing access to premier business locations and
highly-skilled workforces around the county. This
role is expected to continue in the future.
Over the next couple of decades, the Turnpike
Corridor will see many changes. On the
transportation front, there will be new and improved
interchanges, all electronic tolling, and a widening to
a minimum of 4 lanes in each direction from Mid-
County to Bensalem. There will be better transit
access, new trails, new sidewalks, and significant
nearby road improvements. On the land use
front, there will be new zoning, infrastructure and
greening improvements, and stronger partnerships
and collaborations.
All of the improvements will:
Provide excellent locations for new high tech, Zoning changes,
life sciences, professional, financial services, new and improved
advanced manufacturing, research, and other
businesses; interchanges, and a
Make commuting easier; Turnpike widening are
Allow Turnpike users to get directly to where expected to add:
they want to go;
Relieve congestion on the local road system; 50,050 additional daily trips on
Provide walkable live and work environments; the Turnpike
$564 million in additional revenue to
Create appealing mixed use places that provide
the Turnpike Commission by 2040
interesting entertainment, restaurant, service,
26,500 additional jobs
and living options for workers; and
4,150 additional homes
Attract highly-skilled workers of all ages,
experience-levels, and education.

Photo courtesy of KOP BID

Photo courtesy of KOP BID

Photo courtesy of MCCC

1

Turnpike Corridor Vision

 Turnpike Interchanges

A key part of this study is identifying new and improvements should use all electronic tolling, better Get people more directly where they want
improved Turnpike Interchanges that will bring new signage, stormwater best management practices, and to go;
investment to the employment centers along the context sensitive design. Move vehicles on and off the Turnpike more
corridor. There will be three new interchanges
The Turnpike itself will benefit greatly from these quickly; and
Henderson Road, Lafayette/Ridge, and Welsh
improvements, which will: Make access for incidents and maintenance
Roada full interchange at Virginia Drive, and
improvements at the Valley Forge, Fort Washington, Bring in more revenue; easier.
and Willow Grove Interchanges. Future Turnpike
47
6
15
2

MONTGOMERY
UPPER

TURN
SKIPPACK GWYNEDD

PIKE
NORTH

Skippack
WALES
TRAPPE

COLLEGEVILLE UPPER
GWYNEDD

Creek
HORSHAM

NORT
HE
LOWER

AST EX
WORCESTER
GWYNEDD

TENS
ahickon
Wiss

ION

Creek
Pen
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GE PA-63 Welsh Road Interchange

ck
Creek HATBORO

E
PIK
RM
AN
(Potential Exit 342)

LB
TO

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Skipp

DE
N
UPPER
EL

EAST NORRITON
EX PIK
PR SH
E

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ES
ack

RO
PROVIDENCE
SW

MORELAND
AY AD

UPPER

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UPPER Lafayette/Ridge Interchange
Cr
eek

DUBLIN

HING TO
AMBLER
PROVIDENCE (Potential Exit 331) 276
Perkiomen

ack

N EXP
Wis Willow Grove Interchange
Pennyp Cr
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(Exit 343)

EXTENSIO

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EL
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PIK
SW

RID RO
LB

GE AD
KA

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DE

WEST
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476 Virginia Drive Interchange LOWER
.
ST

Cree
NORRITON (Exit 340)
EY

PLYMOUTH MORELAND
KL

276

k
BRYN ATHYN

ROAD
AR

Henderson Road Interchange RNPIKE

M

ANIA TU

(Potential Exit 329) NORRISTOWN

PENNSYLV
Fort Washington Interchange

YORK
SCHUYLKILL ER
(Exit 338)

OLD
RIV
HE
ND
ERS

Norristown Interchange
ON

UPPER (Exit 333)

R
OA

BRIDGEPORT
D

MERION
Valley Forge Interchange PEN
NSY 276 Mid-County Interchange

Wissahickon Cr
LVAN

SPRINGFIELD
IA GE
(Exit 326) ABINGTON
TURN RM
PIKE RID
PIKE GE
PIK
AN
76 DEK
ALB E TO
W
N JENKINTOWN
PIK

ee
SCH E

k
UYL
KILL
EXPR
ESSW
AY
76 CONSHOHOCKEN WHITEMARSH
476 CHELTENHAM ROCKLEDGE

WEST CONSHOHOCKEN 76
SC
HU
YL
KILL
EX

REINVESTMENT AREAS
P
RE
SS
W
AY

LOWER MERION 76 King of Prussia Area

Gulph Mills/Swedeland Area

Norristown/Plymouth Meeting Area

SC
HU
YL
KIL

Plymouth Meeting/Blue Bell Area

L

NARBERTH RIV

2 ER

Fort Washington Area

Willow Grove Area

Horsham Area

Turnpike Corridor Vision

Business Park Trends

People work differently and have different

expectations than they did a generation ago. They
no longer drive to work, stay all day, and then drive
home, forgetting about work until the next day.
Instead, they are connected and active, with variable
schedules and high expectations of what theyll find
in their work environment. These expectations,

Photo courtesy of KOP BID

along with evolving market, demographic, and
business trends, will continue effecting the Turnpike
Corridors business parks.
Business park changes might include:
More Activity
More Uses
Expanded Transit Access Office buildings will have more amenities to appeal to Millennials, such as restaurants, cafes, coffee
shops, fitness centers, day care, doggy day care, game rooms, gathering spaces, outdoor patios,
More extensive Transportation Demand conference space, and inviting lobbies. They will also be greener and more sustainable.
Management
Better Walkability
More Amenities, both Public and Private
Stronger Sustainability
Focused Green Space Improvements

Photo courtesy of KOP BID

Office parks will see much more non-business activity and uses than in the past, such as restaurants,
food trucks, concerts, community exercise classes, dog walking, apartments, shopping, pop-up beer 3
gardens, games, entertainment, festivals, farmers markets, special events, etc.

Turnpike Corridor Vision

 King of Prussia Vision WEST ZONE

RE
NEW OR WIDENED PAVEMENT

OO
MILL & OVERLAY

.
M

RD
PAVEMENT REMOVAL
NEW OR RECONSTRUCTED
King of Prussia will continue to evolve as the STRUCTURE
NEW RETAINING WALL
NEW SIDEWALK
suburbs largest employment center, highway hub,
FREEDOM
and gateway to central and western Pennsylvania. BUSINESS
CENTER

FIR
ST
The Transportation Vision includes: AV
E.

A modernized Valley Forge Interchange with

a direct connection to the King of Prussia
Business Park; PA
RK
AV
E.

RETAINING
WALL #5 RETAINING WALL #1 UPPER
An extension of the Norristown High Speed RETAINING
WALL #6
MERION
TOWNSHIP
Line to the mall and business park;
I-76
RETAINING
WALL #2

RETAINING

Significant road improvements, particularly at

WALL #3

Route 422s crossing of the Schuylkill River; and

I-7
A complete pedestrian network that connects 6

to local and regional trails. I-276

TO
RETAINING WALL #4 I-76

The Land Use Vision includes:

Redesigned Valley Forge Interchange Page | 6

New, transit-oriented, mixed-use, and green

employment and residential areas;
Road diets, a linear park, new streetscaping,
and other improvements to common areas;
New meeting space that will complement
existing facilities; and
A walkable, mixed-use center with retail,
offices, and apartments on the Village at Valley
Forge site.

4
Vision of First Avenue in King of Prussia prepared by the King of Prussia
Business Improvement District

Turnpike Corridor Vision

Gulph Mills/Swedeland WEST ZONE

Vision NEW OR WIDENED PAVEMENT

MILL & OVERLAY
PAVEMENT REMOVAL
NEW OR RECONSTRUCTED
STRUCTURE
NEW RETAINING WALL
NEW SIDEWALK

The Gulph Mills and Swedeland area will continue

to provide a convenient location for new industrial

I-2
SAULIN
and office development close to the regional highway

6 7
BLVD.

system and Philadelphia.

The Transportation Vision includes:
A new Turnpike interchange at the intersection
of Henderson Road and Saulin Boulevard; UPPER
MERION
Completion of the regional Chester Valley Trail,

S. HENDERSON RD.
TOWNSHIP
providing access to Norristown and Chester HA
NS
EN
County; and AC
CE
SS
RD
.
Road widenings and improvements.
I-27
6

The Land Use Vision includes:

New, large-scale industrial, office, and research New Henderson Road Interchange Page | 8

development in the core employment area;

Walkable development oriented towards the
Norristown High Speed Line station at Hughes
Park; and
A mix of land uses in the Route 202 corridor.

5
The Swedeland area will continue to support large scale
industrial, office, and research facilities.

Turnpike Corridor Vision

 Norristown/Plymouth
Vision

The Norristown/Plymouth area will see significant

redevelopment, particularly along the Schuylkill
River and in the county seat of Norristown.
The Transportation Vision includes:
A new Turnpike interchange at Lafayette Street
and Ridge Pike;
Extensive improvements to local roads,
particularly Ridge Pike;
Continued enhancements to the Norristown
Transportation Center; and
Completion of the Chester Valley Trail
connection with the Schuylkill River Trail and
new trail promenades along the Schulykill River.
New Lafayette Street and Ridge Pike Interchange
The Land Use Vision includes:
Mixed-use, transit-oriented, river-focused
residential and employment development in
Norristown and Bridgeport;
New and rehabilitated arts and culture,
entertainment, restaurant, retail, office, and
mixed-use buildings in downtown Norristown;
and
New investment on commercial land in
Plymouth.

New development in Norristown and Bridgeport could take

6 advantage of river frontage along the Schuylkill River

Turnpike Corridor Vision

Plymouth Meeting/Blue
Bell Vision

The Plymouth Meeting and Blue Bell areas will

continue to evolve as a mixed-use crossroads
and gateway from Philadelphia to Northeastern
Pennsylvania.
The Transportation Vision includes:
Continued road improvements;
A new trail, the Cross County Trail, running
from Conshohocken to Willow Grove; and
An analysis of a possible interchange of the
Northeast Extension of the PA Turnpike at
Route 202.
The Plymouth Meeting Mall will continue to evolve
The Land Use Vision includes:
New mixed use development supporting local
business centers;
Reinvented office campuses and business parks;
and
Continued evolution of the Plymouth Meeting
Mall into a walkable mixed commercial and
institutional center.

7
Office buildings and business parks will offer more amenities.

Turnpike Corridor Vision

 Fort Washington Vision
EAST ZONE

NEW OR WIDENED PAVEMENT

CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS PAVEMENT RECONSTRUCTION
REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE
PAVEMENT REMOVAL

Fort Washington will be recharged as a green,

NEW ACCESS POINT

DR
NEW OR RECONSTRUCTED
DE STRUCTURE

CE
LA
W NEW RETAINING WALL

ER
amenity-rich employment hub for northwestern AR

M
E NEW SIDEWALK

M
DR

CO
suburban communities along the Route 309 UPPER
NEW DIRECT ZIP RAMP FROM FORT

corridor. Two newly-constructed dams have been WASHINGTON INTERCHANGE TO

COMMERCE DRIVE
DUBLIN
TOWNSHIP

a game-changer for flooding in Fort Washingtons

roadways.

PA 309
The Transportation Vision includes:
A direct connection from the Fort Washington
interchange to the business park;
Completion of the Virginia Drive interchange
to provide on and off access to both west and
east bound traffic;
A new trail through the middle of the business
I-276
park providing access to the Wissahickon
greenway, Ambler, and Willow Grove; and
Modernized Fort Washington interchange Page | 14

Better pedestrian connections to the Fort EAST ZONE

NEW OR WIDENED PAVEMENT

OFFICE CENT
Washington train station. MILL & OVERLAY
PAVEMENT REMOVAL
NEW OR RECONSTRUCTED
STRUCTURE
NEW RETAINING WALL
NEW SIDEWALK

ER DR
The Land Use Vision includes:

SU
New mixed-use development including offices,

SQ
UE
H
apartments, restaurants, fitness centers, hotels, VIRGINIA DR

AN
NA
RD
meeting space, and services;
UPPER
A naturalized green ribbon of open space along DUBLIN
Pine Run; and TOWNSHIP

A road diet and new green infrastructure and

parks along Virginia Drive. I-276

SWM BASIN

SU
8

SQ
UE
ANH
Full interchange at Virginia Drive Page | 16

N AR
D
Turnpike Corridor Vision
Willow Grove Vision
EAST ZONE

NEW, WIDENED OR RECONSTRUCTED

PAVEMENT
RD
MILL & OVERLAY ILL
IR M
Willow Grove will remain one of Montgomery UPPER BLA
PAVEMENT REMOVAL
NEW OR RECONSTRUCTED
STRUCTURE DUBLIN
TOWNSHIP UPPER
Countys largest employment areas, drawing from
NEW RETAINING WALL
NEW SIDEWALK MORELAND
TOWNSHIP

WE
high-skilled workers in Montgomery County, Bucks

LSH
RD
County, and New Jersey.
The Transportation Vision includes:
A new interchange at Welsh Road;
A more efficient and modern Willow Grove
COMPUTER AVE
interchange; I-276

Interconnected trails and sidewalks, including

the Power Line and Cross County trails; and TWINING RD

PA
Significant road and intersection improvements

63
in the Route 611 Corridor.

The Land Use Vision includes:

New supporting uses in business areas, such New Welsh Road Interchange Page | 18

EAST ZONE

as hotels, apartments, restaurants, day care,

ROAD
NEW OR WIDENED PAVEMENT

and services;
RECONSTRUCTED PAVEMENT
MILL & OVERLAY

TOWN
PAVEMENT REMOVAL
NEW OR RECONSTRUCTED
Redevelopment of older and underperforming

FITZWATER
STRUCTURE
NEW RETAINING WALL RD
L
IL
office and industrial buildings; and M

A central green and other outdoor gathering

I-276
spaces.
SWM
BASIN

PA 611 EASTON RD

SWM
BASIN

UPPER

D RD
MORELAND
TOWNSHIP
MARYLAN

9
Modernized Willow Grove Interchange Page | 20

Turnpike Corridor Vision

 Horsham Vision

The Horsham area will be transformed by the

redevelopment of the Willow Grove Naval Air
Station into a large mixed use town center for
Horsham Township.
The Transportation Vision includes:
Significant improvements to Route 611 and
nearby roads and intersections; and
A new connected road system within the Naval
Air Station property that includes an extension
of Norristown Road to Route 611, establishment
of a spine road from Keith Valley Road to
Horsham Road, and two additional connections
between Horsham Road and Route 611.

The Land Use Vision includes:

A new walkable town center that includes
ground floor retail, apartments, a central plaza,
and a full mix of uses;
Extensive new office development, preferably
as large scale complexes and campuses; and
A full range of civic uses, including a school,
parks, a recreation center, an aviation museum,
and senior housing and services.

The Willow Grove Naval Air Station will have a walkable town center, similar to these
examples from northern Virginia and Lancaster County.
10

Turnpike Corridor Vision

Companion Documents
This study is accompanied by two companion documents
Enhancing Turnpike Access to Business Parks in Montgomery County: Traff ic and
Revenue Forecasts by Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
A Concept Study on the Opportunities for Improved Pennsylvania Turnpike Access
in Montgomery County by Boles, Smyth Associates, Inc.