Radnor and Haverford residents could see new bike lanes, greenways and redesigned roads in their townships under Walk Roll Delco, Delaware County's active transportation plan officially unveiled Monday, Aug. 17. The plan proposes 261.4 miles of new walking and biking connections across the county's 49 municipalities, with implementation depending on cooperation from local governments and PennDOT.
The proposed network breaks down as 39 miles of redesigned high-volume roads, 72 miles of on-road bikeways, 65 miles of greenways through open space, 55 miles of bike boulevards and 34 miles of shared-use sidepaths parallel to roadways. Delaware County Council approved the plan at its July meeting after the Planning Department finalized it in April, and the county can now pursue grant funding to begin building out the network.
The "reimagined high-volume roads" category targets road segments redesigned to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and drivers together. The county has not yet specified which roads in Radnor or Haverford fall in that category, though the full 72-page plan is available online.
Safety data drove the effort.
Between 2018 and 2022, Delaware County recorded 1,035 crashes involving a cyclist or pedestrian. Nineteen percent of pedestrian crashes resulted in serious injury or death, and half of all pedestrians involved were walking in the street.
"I'm really glad we are moving forward with this plan," council member Elaine Paul Schaefer said in the Aug. 17 announcement. Schaefer said Walk Roll Delco also supports the county's Sustainability Plan by reducing vehicle traffic and carbon emissions.
A public survey drew more than 1,700 responses, aided by safety ambassadors who visited neighborhoods across the county. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they walk, bike, use transit or a mobility device every day, and nearly 14% said they would bike more if protected lanes existed. Respondents flagged three main problems: missing infrastructure such as sidewalks or separated bike lanes, inadequate protection in existing infrastructure and gaps in connectivity.
The county currently has just four miles of bike lanes, 24 miles of shared lanes, 61 miles of paved trails and 3,845 miles of sidewalk.
Delaware County Planning Director Gina Burritt said the plan focuses on safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages and abilities while outlining specific infrastructure improvements and strategies to achieve those goals.
Walk Roll Delco builds on the Vision Zero Delco Safety Action Plan, which council approved in February 2025 with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities through road-design changes, speed-limit reviews and infrastructure upgrades. Radnor and Haverford residents who want to see how the plan affects their neighborhoods can watch for their township boards to take up implementation details in partnership with the county.
The full plan is available at gis.delcopa.gov/portal/apps/sites/#/walk-roll-delco. No public comment deadline or implementation timeline has been announced.
