While I don't have an answer I have noticed that from the point towards the strip district is really coming along. It seems like they have a skeleton crew working the point.
2010-09-08 19:27:13
18
Mon Wharf to the point
Does anyone know when the Mon Wharf to the point is suppose to be finished. I thought it was supposed to be done by now??
2010-09-08 19:03:11
I heard they're suppose to extend the North Shore trail from the point, on past the Convention Center and the strip district, to the Highland Park Bridge.
2010-09-08 19:53:32
yes eventually it will connect up to morningside as well through heths run. thats going to be a hell of a project when it starts.
2010-09-08 20:25:25
Where is heths run????
2010-09-08 20:42:17
the valley that goes from the king estate on elgin down behind the zoo through the parking lot. the bridge on butler used to actually go over a valley, until it was filled in. the heth's run restoration project is going to restore the valley, build a multi-use trail from the estate to the river and relocate and reforest the zoo parking lot. its going to be amazing.
2010-09-08 21:09:41
That looks like an awesome project. I love that bridge on Butler Street, but I never put two and two together that it spanned Heths Run. Every time I look at it, I just sigh and think how ugly most public infrastructure has become and how we used to have really nice things. Somehow it seems America has mostly forgotten how to build beautiful things, and I hope this project will be an excellent example to the contrary.
2010-09-09 00:52:03
Wow. That WILL be amazing.
2010-09-09 01:54:01
Question: the .pdf implies that the old bridge will be excavated and demolished, and a new bridge will be built in its place. The old bridge had some very cool balustrades. Is this project really going to destroy it?
Check out the photos in Kidney's _Pittsburgh's Bridges_ (ISBN 0-916679-21-X).
I want to be clear: we are, IMO, better off with this project than without it. Without this project, the old Heth's Run bridge is buried forever. I'm just wondering if there's any consideration about preservation, and I'm hoping that I misunderstood the presentation.
2010-09-09 02:09:48
I for one would love a trail from HPB to town. from that point on the streets arent bad but if youcan avoid them and get into town quicker im all for it.
2010-09-09 02:19:09
It sounds really cool, but did anyone read the last page? Unfortunately it sounds like it's far from a sure thing from a funding perspective.
2010-09-09 04:51:41
@JZ - have you ever actually seen the bridge - aside from old photos, I mean? Most of the balustrades have been degraded or removed over the years and replaced with LUMBER!
The bridge is an embarrassment!
Drop a bomb on it.
2010-09-09 11:43:51
No reason why, if we have to build a new bridge, that it can't be beautiful as well as functional. Especially if it's going to have a lot of fairly slow moving traffic beneath it (us).
2010-09-09 14:44:32
cburch - thank you for that. There are so many wonderful projects in the area... The potential is amazing. If only the funding were equally amazing. I've contacted Senator Ferlo to see if he's got an update (that pdf was written in February), I'll post whatever reply I get.
2010-09-09 15:03:40
It's funny - the project site almost has the bike trail as an after thought. To me, the bike trail is BIG NEWS ! ! !
And the rest of the project? Nice but doesn't affect me much.
I hope they put enough resources inot the multiuse trail to make as good as it could be.
A bike trail down a valley like that would be a major, high-speed (for bikes) artery. Although there are folks that go over the 15 mph speeed limit on the jail tril or SS trail, the norm is about half that.
With a slope from the King estate to the river, 15 mph could be standard speed - if the trail is well designed. Could use separate lanes for peds and cycles.
2010-09-09 15:13:25
For a trail as wide as EFT or Montour, there often isn't that much a problem, in my experience, with cyclists sailing along at (what must be) 15+, if sight lines are good. Where sight lines are bad (think SSide trail), you're lucky ever to attain 15, let alone exceed it.
2010-09-09 16:15:24
@AtLeastMyKidsLoveMe - no, I have not seen it outside photographs. I'm bummed that there's nothing left to preserve, but that certainly answers my question- thanks!
2010-09-09 17:50:29
@JZ - Even in the sad state in which it currently rests, you can tell it was once a beauty.
(As a side note, the morning of the Don Parker ride a few weeks ago, I waited awhile at the nearby Ice Cream stand. The view from there of the river is beautiful, and I am sure when/if that project is ever completed, it will restore an awesome view.)
2010-09-10 03:01:44