Allegheny Trail Alliance News Release

6/27/2001: Great Allegheny Passage designated a National Recreational Trail

The Great Allegheny Passage has been designated a National Recreational Trail and part of the National Trail System.

"This designation gives us a tremendous amount of credibility and provides a major boost to our efforts to complete the entire long distance trail system between Cumberland and Pittsburgh," said Linda McKenna Boxx, President of the Allegheny Trail Alliance, a coalition of seven trail organizations building the Passage. "This designation really says we're among  the premier trails in the Nation," Boxx added.

One hundred continuous miles of the Great Allegheny Passage will be finished late this summer, with the entire system expected to be completed about 2003. The system is a 150-mile, non-motorized, nearly level trail system linking Cumberland, MD, and the Forks of the Ohio at Pittsburgh, PA, with a 52-mile branch to the Pittsburgh International Airport.  At Cumberland, the C&O Canal Towpath expands the off-road trail linkage to Washington, DC. Read the Press Release.

3/27/2001: ATA Logo Unveiling and Branding Event, March 27, 2001

ATA Logo Unveiling and Branding Event in Pittsburgh, Seven Springs, and Cumberland, March 27, 2001

The "Great Allegheny Passage" logo was unveiled by the Allegheny Trail Alliance in three separate events along this 204-mile long trail that passes through five counties in Pennsylvania and one in Maryland. Complete with branding iron, the new logo was ceremoniously affixed to mock mileposts at three locations on or near the trail. Trail representatives and supporters including Marianne Geyer, the director of the Governor Ridge’s office in Pittsburgh, were on hand to show off the new logo on March 27 at Point State Park in Pittsburgh, at Seven Springs Resort in Champion, PA at the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Service Convention, and at Canal Place in Cumberland, MD. The branding ceremonies kicked off a marketing campaign for the trail system run that runs from Cumberland. to Pittsburgh. Read the Press Release.

1/2001: Allegheny Trail Alliance Conference February 9-10, 2001

Pittsburgh to Cumberland Trail System Conference February 9-10, 2001

On February 9-10, at the St. Joseph’s Center Greensburg PA, the Allegheny Trail Alliance (ATA) will hold the second annual World Wide Conference.  The focus of the meeting will be: Putting ATA on the World Map, Working relationships among us all and volunteer and membership recruitment, Rolling out Name and Logo internally, Update everyone, Membership discussions.  Click for the Agenda and the registration form.

4/23/00: Trail System Marketing Forum May 13, 2000

Pittsburgh to Cumberland Trail System Marketing Forum May 13, 200

On May 13, at the Community Builiding in Confluence PA, there will be a public meeting to discuss a comprehensive marketing plan for the trail system. It will be followed by a bike ride to possible interpretive sites.. Detailed information, including agenda. The meeting begins at 9:30. No charge, but please RSVP to 724-853-2453 or atamail@atatrail.org.

3/21/00: Second Yockatomacktrek announced for June 17-24, 2000

Y2KTrek: Ride from Pittsburgh to Washington June 17-24, 2000

Last year's ride from Pittsburgh to Washington was so great that we decided to do it again, but in the other direction. Come journey by bicycle along the completed trails of the Allegheny Trail Alliance, along western Pennsylvania rivers, from Pittsburgh's Point into the Allegheny Mountains. Crossing into Maryland, we descend into the Potomac valley at Cumberland. Following the Potomac River, we'll pedal the length of the C&O Canal Towpath to Washington DC. Detailed information, including itinerary.

10/25/99: New Guidebook Provides Comprehensive Planning Information for Trail Ride from Pittsburgh to Washington DC

NEW BOOK: Linking Up: Planning Your Traffic-Free Bike Trip Between Pittsburgh PA and Washington DC

The Allegheny Trail Alliance is pleased to announce the publication of a comprehensive guidebook for planning bike trips between Pittsburgh and Washington DC on the trails of the ATA and the C&O Canal Towpath. Produced in partnership with Mary Shaw, Roy Weil, and Bill Metzger, this book answers the questions that most people ask about the trail: what's finished? how do we get around the few remaining trail gaps? where do we stay? who can help with logisitics? and so on. To help you plan this trip -- or a shorter trip along this route -- we have brought together the critical information about trail conditions, itineraries, and resources. Selections appear on this web site. You can order the whole book, Linking Up: Planning Your Traffic-Free Bike Trip between Pittsburgh PA and Washington DC, from the Allegheny Trail Alliance, 419 College Ave, Greensburg PA 15601 for $3.50 (includes postage) or from Amazon.com.

5/24/99: Yockatomacktrek Trail-A-Bration: Be a Part of Biking History, June 20, 1999

YOCKATOMACKTREK TRAIL-A-BRATION

A FULL MENU OF FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! CALL 724-853-BIKE FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Show your Trail Pride! Choose the Y-Trek "Course" that's best for you. Then make your reservation for Sunday, June 20!

More information ...

2/22/99: Economic Impact Study Completed: Over $14 Million of Direct Spending Documented in 1998

Pittsburgh to Cumberland Trail System has Major Economic Impact

STUDY DOCUMENTS DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT OF PITTSBURGH TO CUMBERLAND TRAIL SYSTEM EXCEEDED $14 MILLION IN 1998

BOSTON, PA/ROCKWOOD, PA February 22, 1999 -- The Allegheny Trail Alliance today released the results of an economic-impact study that showed the direct economic impact of the trail system being developed from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD, exceeded $14 million a year last year even though half of the trail was not finished.

The study estimated that trail users spent between $5.4 million and $14.1 million near six trail heads last year, and that their annual expenditures on bicycles and bike equipment allocable to the trail over the past two years were between $8.9 million and $12.2 million. Combining both sets of numbers shows a total, direct annualized impact of $14.3 million to $26.5 million.

More information ...

11/98: Information about the first Allegheny Trail Alliance Annual Two-Day Conference!

The Allegheny Trail Alliance WORLD WIDE CONFERENCE January 29 & 30, 1999 St. Joseph's Center, Greensburg, PA

9/10/98: Yough River Trail from Confluence to Boston, PA completed...

September 1998 - Smithton to Dawson section finished! The Youghiogheny River Trail is now complete from Confluence to Boston, PA providing 66 continuous miles of trail.

5/8/98: Governor Ridge Commits $1.8 million to the Pittsburgh to D.C. Corridor ...

The first continuous 100 miles of the Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MD Trail is now possible with grants announced by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge at a press conference in Rockwood, PA on Friday May 8, 1998.  Of the $1.2 million made available statewide through the Keystone Rails-to-Trails Program, $355,000 was allocated to trail groups of the Allegheny Trail Alliance (ATA), who collectively are completing the Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. Trail. The commitment of nearly 30% of the total funding indicates the importance of this trail project to the Commonwealth.

In addition, Governor Ridge announced the release of $1.5 million from state capital budget funds to build the section south of Ohiopyle State Park. The ATA will complete the 100 miles in Pennsylvania between McKeesport and Meyersdale by the summer of 1999.  Seventy continuous miles of trail from McKeesport to Confluence, PA, which follows the scenic Youghiogheny River, will be completed by the end of this summer.

The Governor made his announcement to more than a hundred trail enthusiasts at the trail access area in Rockwood, Somerset County. John Oliver, Secretary of the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources stated that this is one of the most exciting rail trail projects in the country. Secretary Oliver praised the high level of dedicated volunteers at the grass roots level who are making this project a reality.

More information

Contact the ATA ...

For further information about the Allegheny Trail Alliance, see the ATA Information page or the Information Request form. Send comments to ATAmail@westol.com.

This page is part of the Allegheny Trail Alliance's site in support of the Great Allegheny Passage, a motor-free recreational rail trail connecting Pittsburgh PA and Cumberland MD. Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001by Allegheny Trail Alliance, Bill Metzger, Mary Shaw, and Roy Weil. Amenity information courtesy of FreeWheeling Easy. We encourage you to create links to this site and to print copies of the maps for your personal use. We prohibit other uses of this site, especially if they generate spam or other mass communications -- see our Privacy Policy.. This page was last modified on 07/10/01. Send email to ATA or contact the ATA or member trails.