‘Milestone moment’: Montour Trail closes last gap
South Park Township Board of Supervisors Chairman Edward Snee dubbed the Montour Trail Stewart-to-Wood Section a 无毛视频渉idden secret,无毛视频� but Diane and Rusty Kerin of Finleyville discovered the gem before its grand opening on Thursday. They had been using the stretch of trail that closely follows Piney Fork Creek along Brownsville Road for about a month.
无毛视频淲onderful,无毛视频� Diane said.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 off the road and it无毛视频檚 quiet,无毛视频� added Rusty.
Avid walkers, the Kerins trek about three miles and enjoy the convenience the new stretch provides because they 无毛视频渄on无毛视频檛 have to drive out and go all the way up to the other part无毛视频� of the trail. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 great to have this,无毛视频� both said.
According to Paul McKeown, the completion of the trail from Stewart Road to Wood Street in South Park Township was a long time coming. The Upper St. Clair resident has been with the organization since 1992. He serves as the president of the South Hills Friends of the Montour Trail.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 great to finally get this last little piece completed,无毛视频� he said.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a real milestone moment. A pivotal moment,无毛视频� added Julian Wolfe. A longtime cyclist and Upper St. Clair resident, Wolfe is president of the Montour Trail Council (MTC).
In recognition, the MTC celebrated with an official grand opening celebration that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 36.6-mile trail marker. The opening of the section closes the last trail gap between Library and the western part of Jefferson Hills Borough. It eliminates the last on-road section of trail between mile marker 0 (zero) in Moon Township and the Green Man tunnel.
无毛视频淲e are filling in the last gap in a section that is now 40 miles of continuous off-road trail,无毛视频� Wolfe said.
Trail users now can also ride from South Park westward to the Arrowhead Trail in Peters Township and continue on to Coraopolis without venturing onto roads used for vehicular travel.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 the last link in the chain,无毛视频� said project manager David Oyler. 无毛视频淔or years, you had to get off the trail and ride on the road. Now, you can go from Mile 0 to Mile 39.5 without getting off the trails.无毛视频�
A cyclist who rides two to three times a week, Walter Prescotz recalls those harrowing times riding alongside traffic. Because he lives in the vicinity, he says he has had to travel a treacherous path before the completion of the trail segment.
无毛视频淚 used to have to ride on Brownsville Road to get to Stewart,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 very happy this is here. It无毛视频檚 a lot easier. I love the safety and convenience.无毛视频�
Phillip Torrez, who is the media officer for the MTC, acknowledged that it无毛视频檚 important to get foot and bicycle traffic off the streets. However, he noted additional benefits of the trail.
无毛视频淲hat无毛视频檚 beautiful about the Montour Trail is that there are different sections, different locales with a wide variety of scenery. They also afford an opportunity for everybody to walk, run or cycle. The dog walkers and stroller moms use it,无毛视频� he continued. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a wonderful resource for our community. So this is a monumental occasion for all of us.无毛视频�
The nearly $5 million project to complete the four-mile section between Library and the Green Man tunnel has been underway for more than 15 years. It required the construction of four bridges, a multimillion-dollar rehabilitation of the 500-foot long Library Viaduct spanning
State Route 88, and numerous other minor construction projects.
The MTC secured significant grant funding from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for the segment between Wood Street and Stewart Road. The prime construction contractor was MSB Excavating of Eighty Four, and the engineering contractor was Gateway Engineers of Pittsburgh.
According to Oyler, the MTC pays for surfacing, gasoline for vehicles and trucks that work on the trail, tools and the Port-A-Johns. Additionally, the MTC has trail patrols that clear debris from tree branches to deer carcasses, so as not to impede users. The patrols also make sure users are following the rules and speed limits. They also are certified in CPR and first aid. Plus, they can perform minor bike repairs.
Kevin McGoun of Scott Township is one of the MTC volunteers who patrols the trails. An avid cyclist, he uses the trail as much as he can.
无毛视频淓specially this time of year,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 beautiful. The colors of the leaves. It无毛视频檚 not as hot as it is in the summer. I love it and I want to do whatever I can to help out.无毛视频�
The Montour Trail Council is partnering with the Allegheny Country Parks Foundation (ACPF) as it continues to embark on an 无毛视频渁udacious无毛视频� project to connect all nine country parks. According to ACPF executive director Joel-Linn Ulrich, a feasibility study has just been completed regarding connecting South Park with White Oak Park via the rails-to-trails system.
无毛视频淲e are connecting people to the outdoors,无毛视频� Ulrich said.
Andrience Smochek agreed. One of a dozen dignitaries to speak during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, she is the regional adviser for DCNR.
The trails, she said, 无毛视频渇acilitate recreation, transportation and healthy lifestyles.无毛视频�
无毛视频淭hese are avenues to creating memories that last a lifetime,无毛视频� she said.