All Topics  
Great Allegheny Passage

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Great Allegheny Passage
 
 
  Topics Great Allegheny Passage Topic Home

The Great Allegheny Passage is a rail trail
Rail trail

Rail trail is a term for a trail that makes use of a Right-of-way . A rail trail can be either a "rail to trail", created in a right-of-way where the railway has been discontinued, or a Rails with trails, created in a right-of-way where the railway remains in use....
 in Maryland
Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic States of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the Washington, D.C. to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east....
 and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a U.S. state located in the Northeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic States regions of the United States....
.

The multi-use trail, suitable for biking and walking
Walking

Walking is the main form of animal locomotion on Earth, distinguished from running and crawling . When carried out in shallow waters, it is usually described as wading and when performed over a steeply rising object or an obstacle it becomes scrambling or climbing....
, occupies abandoned corridors of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad

The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad , also known as the "Little Giant", was formed on May 11 1875. Company headquarters were located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
 and Western Maryland Railroad. When completed, the Great Allegheny Passage will stretch from Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland

Cumberland is a city in the far western portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area....
 to Point State Park
Point State Park

Point State Park is a List of Pennsylvania state parks on in Downtown Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA, at the Confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River rivers, forming the Ohio River....
 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania with a population of 312,819. The population of the seven-county metropolitan area is 2,462,571....
, with a branch to the Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport

Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil-military international airport located in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb of Findlay Township, Pennsylvania, approximately west of downtown Pittsburgh at...
.

This trail also connects with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1836 until 1924 parallel to the Potomac River in Maryland from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, DC....
 towpath trail, which runs for an additional between Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland

Cumberland is a city in the far western portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area....
 and Washington, DC - creating a continuous non-motorized corridor, long, from McKeesport, near Pittsburgh, to Washington, DC.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Great Allegheny Passage'
Start a new discussion about 'Great Allegheny Passage'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The Great Allegheny Passage is a rail trail
Rail trail

Rail trail is a term for a trail that makes use of a Right-of-way . A rail trail can be either a "rail to trail", created in a right-of-way where the railway has been discontinued, or a Rails with trails, created in a right-of-way where the railway remains in use....
 in Maryland
Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic States of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the Washington, D.C. to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east....
 and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a U.S. state located in the Northeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic States regions of the United States....
.

The multi-use trail, suitable for biking and walking
Walking

Walking is the main form of animal locomotion on Earth, distinguished from running and crawling . When carried out in shallow waters, it is usually described as wading and when performed over a steeply rising object or an obstacle it becomes scrambling or climbing....
, occupies abandoned corridors of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad

The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad , also known as the "Little Giant", was formed on May 11 1875. Company headquarters were located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
 and Western Maryland Railroad. When completed, the Great Allegheny Passage will stretch from Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland

Cumberland is a city in the far western portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area....
 to Point State Park
Point State Park

Point State Park is a List of Pennsylvania state parks on in Downtown Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA, at the Confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River rivers, forming the Ohio River....
 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania with a population of 312,819. The population of the seven-county metropolitan area is 2,462,571....
, with a branch to the Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport

Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil-military international airport located in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania suburb of Findlay Township, Pennsylvania, approximately west of downtown Pittsburgh at...
.

This trail also connects with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1836 until 1924 parallel to the Potomac River in Maryland from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, DC....
 towpath trail, which runs for an additional between Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland

Cumberland is a city in the far western portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area....
 and Washington, DC - creating a continuous non-motorized corridor, long, from McKeesport, near Pittsburgh, to Washington, DC. The Great Allegheny Passage is a segment of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, one of eight nationally designated scenic trails.

The first section of the Great Allegheny Passage was a stretch near Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania
Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania

Ohiopyle is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 77 at the 2000 census. While Ohiopyle may have a tiny year-round population, it is often filled with tourists on the weekend, who come take advantage of outdoor recreation....
 which opened in 1986.

Trail development


The is a group of seven trail organizations who have joined together to bring this trail to completion. The affiliated trails and the lengths of their trails are:

TrailCompleted
Mileage (km)		Mileage
Underway (km)		Total
Mileage (km)
Three Rivers Heritage Trail
Three Rivers Heritage Trail

The Three Rivers Heritage Trail is an urban rail-trail paralleling the riverbanks in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for about , often on both sides of the rivers, and offering a spectacular view of the city....
25 (40.2)12 (19.3)37 (59.6)
Steel Valley Trail4 (6.4)10 (16)14 (22.4)
Montour Trail40 (64.4)6 (9.7)46 (74.0)
Youghiogheny River Trail, North43 (68.8)043 (68.8)
Youghiogheny River Trail, South28 (44.8)028 (44.8)
Allegheny Highlands Trail in Pennsylvania41 (66.0)041 (66.0)
Allegheny Highlands Trail in Maryland21 (33.7)021 (33.8)
Great Allegheny Trail total 200.5 (320.8)
At Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland

Cumberland is a city in the far western portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area....
 the ATA system connects with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath
C&O Canal Towpath184.5 (295.4)0184.5 (295.4)
Total including C & O Canal 385.0 (616.0)


Construction plans

The section between Woodcock Hollow and Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland

Cumberland is a city in the far western portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area....
 opened on December 13, 2006. of continuous trail are now open from McKeesport, Pennsylvania to Cumberland, Maryland. Trail work remains near Pittsburgh and McKeesport.

Ground breaking for the conversion of the Hot Metal Bridge
Hot Metal Bridge

The Hot Metal Bridge is a truss bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that crosses the Monongahela River. The bridge consists of two parallel spans on a single set of piers: the former Monongahela Connecting Railroad Bridge, built in 1887, on the upstream side and the former Hot Metal Bridge, built in 1900, on the downstream side....
 in Pittsburgh for pedestrian/bike use occurred on September 15, 2006. As part of the project, a new concrete
Concrete

Concrete is a construction material composed of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, construction aggregate , water , and Chemistry admixtures....
 deck and lighting were installed. A switchback ramp was built on the south side of the bridge to connect to the trails there and a new span was erected over Second Avenue to link the bridge to the Eliza Furnace Trail. The project officially opened on November 28, 2007.

Work also is continuing on sections of the Montour Trail
Montour Trail

The Montour Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania.It has a crushed limestone surface, appropriate for bicycling, walking, running, and cross-country skiing....
, a trail that when completed will link Coraopolis and Clairton. More than of the trail are finished. The almost-continuous trail now stretches from Moon near Coraopolis through Imperial, McDonald, Cecil and Peters. A ground-breaking ceremony on that section was held Oct. 22, 2006.

See also

  • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
    Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

    The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1836 until 1924 parallel to the Potomac River in Maryland from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, DC....
  • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
    Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

    The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the District of Columbia and the states of Maryland and West Virginia....
  • Montour Trail
    Montour Trail

    The Montour Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania.It has a crushed limestone surface, appropriate for bicycling, walking, running, and cross-country skiing....
  • Youghiogheny River Trail
    Youghiogheny River Trail

    The Yough River Trail is a non-motorized multi-use rail trail that stretches between McKeesport, PA and Connellsville, PA.It is named after and runs along the Youghiogheny River....
  • List of rail trails
    Rail trail

    Rail trail is a term for a trail that makes use of a Right-of-way . A rail trail can be either a "rail to trail", created in a right-of-way where the railway has been discontinued, or a Rails with trails, created in a right-of-way where the railway remains in use....


External links