Montour Trail

Montour Trail

The Montour Trail between miles 3 and 4,
photo taken March 2006
Length 59.3 mi (95.4 km)
Location Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA
Trailheads Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
40°30′17″N 80°08′42″W / 40.5048°N 80.1450°W / 40.5048; -80.1450 (Montour Trail, Coraopolis trailhead)
Clairton, Pennsylvania
40°18′18″N 79°53′02″W / 40.3051°N 79.8838°W / 40.3051; -79.8838 (Montour Trail, Clairton trailhead)
Use Multi-use
Hiking details
Trail difficulty Easy
Season Year-round
Sights see Points of Interest below

The Montour Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It used to be the Montour Railroad.

It has a crushed limestone surface, appropriate for bicycling, walking, running, and cross-country skiing. Eventually, this trail segment will extend 47 miles (76 km) from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania to Clairton, Pennsylvania.

The trail is part of a 204-mile (328 km) rails to trails project between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Maryland. When completed, it will be part of a 400-mile (640 km) trail system between Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C, known as the Great Allegheny Passage.

Connecting trails

Points of interest

The Organization

The Montour Trail is managed and maintained by The Montour Trail Council (MTC). The MTC is a non-profit all-volunteer group which builds, operates, and maintains the trail. It is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, relying on corporate, foundation and government grants and private donations for funding. As of 2012, MTC maintains net assets in excess of $9,300,000.00.[1]

Branches

The Montour Trail has four branches: Bethel, Muse, Westland, and the Airport Connector. The Bethel Branch extends from the trail in Peters Township into Bethel Park. The Muse Branch is a planned, undeveloped branch in Cecil Township that goes to the town of Muse. The Westland Branch is a branch that extends from the trail in Venice to the town of Westland. The Airport Connector is a branch of the trail that goes from the mainline trail in Imperial to Pittsburgh International Airport. The Connector does not follow any of the Montour Railroad grade, rather it follows roads to the airport.

In December 2010 MarkWest Energy announced plans to lease the Westland Branch right of way from the Montour Trail Council for 30 years. The branch was redeveloped as a combination trail and railroad operated by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway to serve MarkWest's Westland natural gas processing plant. Construction was completed and the branch began operation in August 2012.[2][3][4][5]

References

  1. http://bulk.resource.org/irs.gov/eo/2013_12_EO/25-1634718_990_201212.pdf
  2. MTC Announces Westland Branch Plans with MarkWest (PDF), Montour Trail Council, January–February 2011, retrieved September 14, 2012
  3. Schmitz, Jon (March 29, 2012). "Firm to build Montour Trail section in return for land use". Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  4. Campbell, Cristie (August 21, 2012). "Taking the Tracks". Observer-Reporter. Washington, PA. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  5. Santoni, Matthew (December 28, 2010). "Energy company offers to extend Montour Trail". Tribune Review. Pittsburgh, PA. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
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Coordinates: 40°19′05″N 80°13′41″W / 40.3181°N 80.2281°W / 40.3181; -80.2281

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