Work started on tunnel to connect trail
EAST BRADY — Work on a 2,648-foot former railroad tunnel that will close a gap on the Erie-Pittsburgh Trail is underway.
Chris Ziegler, executive director of the Allegheny Land Trust in Kittanning, said the first phase of the project will be done by Christmas.
The hole in the 1916 tunnel's ceiling that allowed water to enter the tunnel has been temporarily repaired.
Ziegler said a temporary liner was installed that works as an umbrella so contractors can work safely underneath.
The liner also will serve as a form into which low-weight grout will be poured to permanently close the hole.
Ziegler said workers Friday poured a footer under the temporary canopy and once set, the low-weight grout can be poured into the form above.
Geotech fabric and stone will then be added to the tunnel floor.
“That way, the water will have somewhere to go,” Ziegler said.
She said trail enthusiasts are excited for the tunnel, which was closed for safety by the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission in 1992, to reopen.
“The contractor told me they get many visitors a day,” Ziegler said. “People are excited for the repairs.”
The cost for the current phase is $663,400.
Ziegler has applied for a $3 million grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development and a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Both departments should announce their grant awards next month, she said.
State Rep. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, has been a huge supporter of the tunnel renovation.
“It's a very important project,” Hutchinson said.
He said once the tunnel is opened and the gap in the Pittsburgh-Erie Trail is closed, cyclists will ride longer distances.
“The longer continuous ride you have, the more economic impact trails have,” Hutchinson said.
He explained that longer-distance riders are more apt to stop in East Brady and the other towns along the trail to eat a meal, buy water or peruse the town's shops.
“Obviously, we also like trails for local users for general recreation, health purposes and quality of life as well,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson walks or cycles on the Allegheny Valley Trail, which connects Franklin and Oil City.
“I'm on that trail almost every morning, either walking or riding,” Hutchinson said.
Ziegler said the tunnel could open as early as the end of 2020, pending receipt of the grants she applied for.
“It's the project of a lifetime,” Ziegler said. “It's gigantic and has a huge impact.”
