By Tom Fontaine, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Saturday, December 17, 2011

A Pittsburgh nonprofit applied this week for the first building permits related to a $3 million project that would plug a large hole in the city’s riverfront trail system.

Downtown-based Riverlife Pittsburgh now needs to plug a large hole in funding for the project.

To date, Riverlife has raised about $2 million to build the Mon Wharf Switchback, said spokesman Stephan Bontrager. The project will connect the Smithfield Street Bridge to the Mon Wharf Landing and Eliza Furnace Trail below for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“I can’t speculate how the (funding) gap will be made up,” Bontrager said. “We’re hoping the community will come forward to support this project, as it has so far.”

About two-thirds of the money raised has come from foundations and individuals; the rest is from public agencies. This month, the Allegheny Regional Asset District announced plans to put $100,000 in public money toward the project over the next two years.

Currently, bicyclists and pedestrians must use a steep set of stairs off the bridge or a steep vehicle ramp to the Mon Wharf Landing. The switchback will provide a gently sloped, U-shaped path from the bridge to the trails below, and a new set of stairs will be constructed.

Read the rest of this article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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