This relatively new on-street cycling infrastructure debuts in the region in Munhall.

Allegheny Passage trail link under way

Friday, October 07, 2011
By Jon Schmitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Four bicyclists who were about to embark on a five-day Pittsburgh-to-Washington, D.C., ride got a surprise sendoff Thursday from one of the main architects of the Great Allegheny Passage trail.

Jack Paulik, project manager for Regional Trail Corp., was at The Waterfront to monitor the start of work on the newest trail improvement — a 3,000-foot dedicated bike lane on East Waterfront Drive in Munhall.

The lane will begin near the giant blue Marcegaglia industrial building, hooking directly with the recently opened 3-mile section that goes to Grant Avenue in Duquesne. It will follow East Waterfront Drive past the historic Pump House to near the first apartment building, linking with another trail section that dives behind the apartments and several office buildings and restaurants.

The bike lane will be 9 feet wide to accommodate two-way traffic, Mr. Paulik said. It will be separated from vehicle traffic by a 5-foot-wide buffer strip, marked with delineator poles (sometimes called “candles”) every 32 feet. Two 12-foot-wide lanes will be maintained for cars and trucks.

“I don’t think anybody’s done a bike lane like this in the region,” said Linda McKenna Boxx, president of the Allegheny Trail Alliance. “Munhall Borough was phenomenally cooperative.”

Read the rest of this article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Not a member of BikePGH? Join today! We need you to add your voice! Bike Pittsburgh works to protect cyclist’s rights and promote the vision of making Pittsburgh a safer and more enjoyable place to live and to ride. For more info, check out: www.bike-pgh.org/membership