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While there are no hospitals located within the study area; two hospitals - Grandview Hospital and Central Montgomery Medical Center (formerly North Penn Hospital) - are located near the study area and provide emergency response services to the community. Two local fire companies provide additional ambulance services. Volunteer companies provide fire protection throughout the area, and individual municipalities provide their own full-time police service.
Education
Three area school districts serve the study area: North Penn and Souderton Area School Districts in Montgomery County, and Pennridge School District in Bucks County. North Penn School District serves Towamencin, Lower Salford, Hatfield and Franconia townships. Pennfield Middle School provides schooling for students from Hatfield, Walton Farm, General Nash, Inglewood, and A.M. Kulp Elementary Schools, who will then ultimately attend North Penn High School. The Souderton Area School District serves Franconia and Lower Salford townships. This district comprises six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. E.M. Crouthamel Elementary School is the only school located within the study area. Students living in Hilltown Township attend Pennridge High School, Pennridge Central Junior High School, and Grasse Elementary School. Numerous private and parochial schools are also present in the vicinity of the study area.
Parks and Recreation
Two recreational facilities in Hatfield Township are located just to the east of the study area. Clemens Park is an eight-acre community park with softball and soccer fields, and an exercise trail. The Hatfield Township Arboretum is a five-acre facility, which was built in 1999 and contains more than 200 trees and shrubbery. Other large area recreation facilities include Fischer’s Park (77 acres) in Towamencin Township and Franconia Community Park (50 acres) in Franconia Township. They provide multi-use open spaces for a variety of sports activities, as well as nature trails and picnic facilities.
Transportation
Rail – Railroad tracks were laid across the study area during the 19th century, connecting cities throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The main line of the old Penn Central Railroad (now CSX) hauls an average of 15 freight trains per day across those tracks. SEPTA regional rail passenger services do not operate within the study area; however, SEPTA's R5 rail line does have a station stop in Lansdale.
Bus – Bus service is provided by SEPTA bus route 96, which runs through Franconia and Hatfield townships in Montgomery County. The route 96 bus provides daily inbound and outbound trips (one per hour) between Telford and Norristown for commuters on Mondays though Saturdays. There is no service in either direction on Sundays.
Utilities
The study area is primarily agricultural, with a mix of residential, commercial and industrial uses. A business center and industrial complex is located near I-476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension). Public water and sewer facilities are available to each of the five municipalities within the study area, with the exception of the western and southwestern perimeters of Hatfield Township. In addition, a substation serving the intersection between PECO Energy and PPL transmission lines is located within the Hatfield Township portion of the project area.
