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PITTSBURGH – The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County (RAAC) announced today that it has awarded $21,826,254 in grants from the Trail Development Fund to advance trail and active transportation projects in Allegheny County. Eighteen projects received funding through the program which was open to nonprofits, municipalities, for-profit businesses, and councils of government.
“I’m extraordinarily proud of the investments that we have made in trails and recreation over the past decade. This award continues that investment in our quality of life and underscore the importance of trails in our community,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “Trails preserve and create open spaces, encourage physical fitness and healthy lifestyles, and strengthen our local economies. By providing this funding, there will be additional opportunities available to communities who may not otherwise have those resources.”
Eligible projects funded by Trail Development Fund grants were those primarily centered on creating new trail opportunities, expanding and enhancing existing trail facilities and facilitating local connections to existing trail and multimodal transportation systems. Minimum requests were $150,000 for land acquisition and engineering and design, or $250,000 for construction. Priority was be given to projects that will result in the construction of a new or expanded trail, serve low- and moderate-income communities, and encumber and draw funding by December 1, 2023.
The projects receiving funding follow; the list also indicates in which municipalities the work will occur:
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Funding Award
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Municipality(ies)
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Project
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$4,740,000
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Aspinwall, Pittsburgh
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Acquisition of 3.6 miles of railway and line vacations that will connect Aspinwall and Pittsburgh
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$346,248
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Ben Avon, Emsworth, Kilbuck
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Acquisition of five parcels of land to permanently protect 46 acres of greenspace for public benefit, including access to approximately 2 miles of public trails
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$150,000
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Bethel Park
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Engineering and design of the proposed Drake Trail and amenities including a new railing for the existing bridge, a new parking area, a retaining wall, trail development, seating areas, trail access, planting and other trail clearing and landscaping
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$2,512,509
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Braddock, East Pittsburgh, Monroeville, North Braddock, North Versailles, Pitcairn, Rankin, Trafford, Turtle Creek
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Design and engineering of nine miles of trail and on-road infrastructure between the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark in site to the end of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail in Trafford
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$462,550
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East Deer, Springdale Township
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Design and engineering for the expansion of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail connecting the municipalities to the larger trail network, the Erie to Pittsburgh trail system
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$250,000
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Elizabeth Borough
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Construction of a concrete walking trail to facilitate public access to the borough’s riverfront
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$400,000
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Etna, Shaler
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Design and engineering of the Little Pine Creek Connector Trail which will extend from Kiwanis Park in Shaler to Etna’s Riverfront Trail and Park
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$678,700
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Harmar, O’Hara
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Design and engineering for the expansion of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail connecting the municipalities to the larger trail network, the Erie to Pittsburgh trail system
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$1,400,000
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Marshall
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Construction of sidewalk and trail segments that address gaps in the sidewalk network and provide for continuous, safe pedestrian access; several of the segments are part of the Commodore Perry Regional Trail system
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$500,000
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Neville
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Site preparation, installation of amenities and construction of a boat launch, waking and cycling trails, a bicycle repair station, and restoration and appurtenances for a new riverfront park
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$229,885
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North Fayette
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Engineering and design of a system of bicycle improvements that will include sharrows, bike lanes, shared use paths and trails
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$407,550
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Pittsburgh
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Planning and feasibility study to expand the Three Rivers Heritage Trail which would connect Hazelwood and Duck Hollow to Rankin by trail
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$240,000
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Pittsburgh
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Revitalization of a dilapidated segment of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, creating a new community-connecting trail node, restoring native habitats and enhancing public educational opportunities
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$2,000,000
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Pittsburgh
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Acquisition of parcels in the West End to complete a trail loop for a 15-mile loop around Pittsburgh’s three rivers
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$5,000,000
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Rankin
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Rehabilitation of the historic Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge and construction of a new off-ramp and switchback to connect the Great Allegheny Passage with the Westmoreland Heritage Trail
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$1,275,812
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Rankin
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Design, engineering and construction management of the historic Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge
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An additional $60,000 has been awarded for a DCNR Partnership Grant for a comprehensive planning process led by Friends of the Riverfront in partnership with the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County to define a long-range plan to organize, implement, manage and market natural resource and community conservation, heritage resources, land and open space preservation, greenways, trails, recreation and parks, or cultural preservation.
The Trail Development Fund was capitalized with a portion of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds. Since 2012, Allegheny County has invested substantially in bike and pedestrian infrastructure. In addition to the $21.8 million distributed today through the Trail Development Fund, the county has distributed $1.2 million in Active Allegheny grants and an additional $9.8 million county and grant dollars for county projects.
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