Planners want to extend trail through Scottdale
EAST HUNTINGDON TWP. – Five Star Trail builders met this week to map out an 8-mile route to Scottdale that will more than double the trail’s length, and link it to the Scottdale Coal and Coke Trail. “What we accomplished here today was a discussion centering around the Five Star Trail’s extension from the Youngwood Train Station to Scottdale,” said Coal and Coke Trail president Rob Ferguson.
Ferguson said organizers hope to continue the trail on to Connellsville, where they can connect to the planned 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage, now under constriction. The Great Allegheny Passage will run from Cumberland, Md., to Point State Park in Pittsburgh.
“Today we connected the dots,” said Ferguson. We want to make sure bikers continue riding and the only way to do that is to continue the trail.”
Ferguson said construction of the Scottdale project could be completed in 2004. Organizers are still working on obtaining property rights along the proposed route. However, they already have secured a $440,000 federal recreational grant to which they will add $200,000 in grant funds left from an earlier project.
Ferguson said the next hurdle is to obtain funds for the design and engineering. Westmoreland County has agreed to give the Coal and Coke Trail $20,000 and the Five Star Trail Chapter has applied for a Department of Conservation and Natural Resource grant for the rest of the work.
The Five Star Trail, named for five municipalities – Greensburg, Hempfield Township, Southwest Greensburg, South Greensburg and Youngwood – will connect Youngwood with Hunker along the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad line, according to Ferguson.
In addition, the Hempfield Municipal Authority has agreed to construct the trail as it builds a sewerage interceptor line along the three-mile route in 2003.
The trail will connect with Jacobs Creek Recreation Trail, which is a Scottdale Borough project. Ferguson said the Scottdale project is expected to be completed by Independence Day.
Ferguson said the trail from Youngwood to Scottdale is pivotal because more and more residents use recreational trails.
“We are hoping to create an additional spur connecting the West Overton Museums in East Huntingdon Township to the Coal and Coke Trail along Overholt Drive and Dexter Road,” he said. “West Overton could actually become one of the highlights of the trail because where there’s a trail there is business. Trails create businesses and hopefully that will happen in our area.”
Ferguson said many towns across the state have boosted their economy by addressing the needs of people who use the trails.
“I know snack stands, restaurants, bicycle repair and parts shops and bike rack shops have sprung up along trails for the convenience of bikers,” said Ferguson.
Additional trail links are now under construction.
“A 3,000-foot section connecting Youngwood to Westmoreland County Community College (WCCC) will be completed by the end of June and a half-mile section from WCCC to Armburst will be completed by Hempfield Township this fall,” said Ferguson.
Ferguson said other projects in the works, include trail spurs from Scottdale to Mount Pleasant, a Perryopolis spur that would be called the Washington Run Trail has been discussed.
A 3-mile trail between Crabtree and Twin Lakes Park has been considered, however, area residents criticized that plan.