Brackenridge recreational trail takes shape
Construction crews put the finishing touches on a half-mile Brackenridge trail Wednesday, as borough officials hope that the simple amenity will expand outdoor recreation and economic development opportunities.
The project cost about $450,000. It was coordinated by the nonprofit Friends of the Riverfront.
“We’re excited to move forward on this,” Mayor Lindsay Fraser said.
“The trail connects us to a robust and growing national trail network that supports appreciation of our rivers, outdoor recreation and, hopefully, new revenue opportunities.”
Work on the first phase of the trail kicked off in early April. It stretches off-road along First Avenue, from Mile Lock Lane to Morgan Street.
Courtney Mahronich Vita, Friends’ director of trail development, said the second phase, which will travel through Brackenridge Memorial Park, will be constructed later this year.
Mahronich Vita and others completed a walk-through of the new construction Wednesday.
They expressed excitement that, one day, the Brackenridge trail will serve as a vital link to other sections scheduled in Harrison and Tarentum.
When work in the Alle-Kiski Valley is complete, trails will be part of a corridor from Erie to Pittsburgh.
Brackenridge previously landed three grants from state and county agencies to pay for the construction.
Tawnya Panizzi is a TribLive reporter. She joined the Trib in 1997. She can be reached at tpanizzi@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.