CRANBERRY TWP — One of the township’s focuses has been making the community more pedestrian and bicycle friendly with sidewalks, bikeways and trails.

To showcase that effort township manager Jerry Andree will lead a tour of several of the township’s walking trails at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Graham Park football campus.

He said, “We spend time focusing on issues that we know are important to the community, and connectivity is something we hear over and over again from our residents about being a priority.”

Connectivity is a priority because people want to be able to walk to a business or neighborhood, Andree said. Residents also like having safe places to walk and take part in a healthy activity.

Andree said it would be good for residents to walk these trails because there has been significant progress expanding them.

There are 20.5 miles of biking and walking trails that are either paved or gravel, which includes two sections recently completed.

That number does not count sidewalks.

Most of the trails are in the southern section of the township.

Andree said when it comes to trail projects, the township finds funds in different ways.

The trail between Graham Park and Powell Road was funded through a $90,000 grant the township received from the state.

With the Brush Creek Trail project south to Marshall Township, the township worked with developers who were building and with its in-house employees, Andree said.

“We use a variety of techniques to implement these trails. We have a master plan, so when we see an opportunity with a grant or development or the workforce we have available at that time, we go to it,” he said. “When we have the opportunity, we seize it.”

Andree will be assisted on the tour by Pete Geis, director of parks and recreation; Kathleen McCaig, planning specialist; and Duane McKee, assistant township manager.

Visitors will walk the recently completed trail linking Graham Park to Powell Road. From there a shuttle bus will take them on a ride to the cul-de-sac in the Hunters Creek neighborhood. They will walk the Hunters Creek Trail back to the Graham Park roundabout where the Seneca Heritage Village has been installed.

That village in the roundabout was funded by the Cranberry Township Community Chest. It was created by chain saw artist Ken Tynan of Butler, who carved the large Native American figures from pine tree trunks.

As part of the trail event, members of Many Nations, an American Indian group, will dedicate the art installation along with the artist and community chest representatives.

After the dedication, the tour will continue to the other end of the Brush Creek Trail by Commonwealth Drive. A shuttle will be available to return visitors to the parking lot.

In addition to the trails tying into Graham Park into residential plans, tour participants will learn about the 2015 projects where gaps between older sidewalk segments were connected and about the townships plans for sidewalk and more trail construction.

“We will have a discussion about how we prioritize and advance projects,” Andree said.

He said the township has a big trail it will complete in Graham Park that will be about another half mile or 3/4 of a mile. He noted there will be other sidewalk connections done next year.

Andree said the tour will be taking place rain or shine.

“It is a beautiful area. The trails go through some wonderful, beautiful areas of the community,” Andree said. “They can see how they can best find an opportunity to exercise right in their backyards.”

To reserve a spot on the tour to make sure there is enough bus seating, call 724-776-4806, Ext. 1089.