Volume 11, Issue 1

January/February, 2000

On Friday, October 29, Collier Township officially opened the first mile of the Panhandle Trail in Allegheny County, from Walker's Mill to Rennerdale. During the unusual evening event, two ribbon cuttings were held at the first bridge over Robinson Run. Trail volunteers, who had cut brush and cleared debris from the right of way snipped one ribbon, while township supervisors and some business persons who had donated materials to the trail parted the other one. Everyone then walked a mile down the trail, which was lit up with over 100 pumpkins, carved by a local youth group.

A well-organized trailside Halloween gala awaited us at the Rennerdale trailhead, at the foot of Sunnyside Avenue. Volunteers served cookies, punch and hot cider, while others handed out bags of prizes and toys to the children. An immense bonfire lit up the scene, and warmed those who might be little cool despite the evening being unseasonably warm. The outdoor party was attended by an estimated 700 residents, elected officials, business people, and trail lovers of all sorts. Quite a few of the more active Montour Trail folks were there, marveling at such an immense outpouring of local enthusiasm for the trail.

A gift from Conrail, the right of way runs twenty nine miles from Collier to, interestingly, Colliers, WV. in broad strokes, from Carnegie to Weirton. And broad it is, stretching over forty feet wide in most places. Its expansive openness, with no tunnels, conveys the feeling of having been an extremely busy thoroughfare when it was a railroad. Cycling the Panhandle is kind of like riding along an empty wooded interstate.

MTC's Dave Wright arranged for Allegheny County to deliver several thousand tons of asphalt pavement millings along the trail. The Collier Township road crew has spread and rolled this as base material on most of the 2.7 miles in Collier. Nearby South Fayette Township has done the same over most of their 2.6 miles, nearly to the doorstep of McDonald. It is hoped that the intervening North Fayette Township, Oakdale Borough and McDonald Borough will join in and spread the millings on the trail in their areas as well.

The surface of the rolled asphalt millings is a little soft, but easily ridden on a fat-tire bike. It's perfect for walking and for kids. Eventually, a topcoat of fine crushed limestone is planned.

Volunteer work will also come into play, of the sorts familiar to us all. Brush and debris clearing, spreading of trailside woodchips, and general cleanup of the right of way is needed. Bridge railings, fences, and trailhead barriers will need to be constructed, as well as other amenities for the trail users. It's all just started.

By connecting Walker's Mill to the Primrose section opened by Washington County this past June, over eight miles of continuous trail is being created. A junction with the Montour Trail just west of McDonald is soon to follow. The Panhandle is a great Saturday afternoon ride, even as it is now with some stretches still in rough ballast. The Collier section saw a lot of use over recent weekends: joggers, people walking their dogs, kids on bikes, families exploring in the sunshine. Just wait ?til all the other communities along there share in the treasure as well. We may need all that width when it's done!