Armstrong County acquires railway corridor to create rail-trail addition
Local cyclists, joggers, walkers and nature lovers will have another 14 miles of rail-trail to enjoy, thanks to a recent acquisition by the commissioners in neighboring Armstrong County.
Chris Ziegler, executive director of Armstrong Trails, announced that Armstrong has finalized the deal to acquire the Kiski Junction Corridor and Bridge in Bethel and Gilpin townships.
Ziegler said once the new acquisition is developed, the Butler-Freeport Community Trail will be a connector to the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail, as well as the Pittsburgh to Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway.
Ziegler stressed that the new corridor still has railroad tracks and is not open to the public.
“There is still much work to be done to develop a safe and connected trail,” Ziegler said. “It is not a race, but a journey.”
She said in 1986, 250 miles of rails-to-trails were available in the U.S.
Today, there are over 25,252 miles within 2,356 rail-trails across the country.
Pennsylvania is leader in rail-trails among the 50 states, at 198 rails-to-trails, Ziegler said.
