BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

https://www.511pa.com/CameraListing.aspx?OpenPage go to SW PA,  376 central, Birmingham Bridge .for a good camera shot of the Jail Trail Looking west doesn’t look like it from this camera. With the freeze thaw cycle and a cold weekend coming up, unless they salt, it might be a while. Hopefully the warming through the week will clear it.

The Jail Trail this morning:  The trail is completely cleared around where they were doing the retaining wall repairs.  From there almost to Bates street a 3' wide lane has been cleared, but that lane has some black ice in places.  The rest of the trail still is mostly covered with snow and ice, which hasn't stopped quite a few bicyclists, judging by the number of tracks.

Thank you both.  That is helpful!  

Rode the Jail Trail (or Eliza Furnace Trail) this afternoon, Saturday 6 Feb.  Totally rideable the whole length, with a touch of caution needed in the shadow of the Birmingham Bridge ramps And at the end by the mail. Panther Hollow is only about 1/2 cleared of what is not packed down freeze thaw ice. Riding in the grass where it is not packed down ice was difficult due to the depth and now frozen nature of the remaining snow. I don’t see this improving much in the next 2 weeks due to cold temperatures. Anyone have any report on the Southside Riverfront trail from Hot Metal to Smithfield? How about the Gap to the far side of Mckeesport?  I suspect the closure has finally taken effect.  It was still rideable 2 weeks ago, but they were stockpiling supplies in Boston and looking like They were prepping to dig up the trail on that section.

I've been there and everything looks good.

I was out on the trail for a short distance near Kennywood yesterday (clearing a small landslide) and the trail was bikeable there, but icy in places. See pictures: https://www.facebook.com/SteelValleyTrail/posts/4783993021719657

Rode down to the Washington Oval yesterday to see what it looked like. Negley Run trail was mostly just wet with little ice, but when that water freezes might get slippery. The oval had a few  sections with a thick layer of slushy snow which will freeze again this weekend. An hour with a shovel next week could clear it completely. A tree fell onto the bleachers, breaking numerous boards on the south end and bringing down one end of the wire that runs over the track. Not sure who to notify about this. There were no other tire tracks before mine that I could see.

I biked between Page Dairy Mart (Beck's Run Rd) and McKeesport on the GAP today. Some water and ice at Eagle Lake (safest way to get through is to dismount and walk the boardwalk while rolling your bike through the puddle (about 4 in. deep) - see attached picture from Don Erdeljac). There were icy spots along the trail near Kennywood, here and there, but one could easily bike around them. Trail in Homestead past the Waterfront was wet and puddled (crushed limestone section) so I biked behind Lowe's on the asphalt. Otherwise the trail was clear of snow & ice. With tonight's low of 51F, the lingering snow & ice continues to melt.

Washington Blvd Oval now totally clear, drooping wire no longer hanging over the track. Sidewalk where Negley Run bike lane ends still ice covered.