Wooden footbridge in Brackenridge will connect sections of Three Rivers Heritage Trail

A wooden footbridge is coming to First Avenue in Brackenridge to connect the borough’s two sections of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail.

It will span a water intake well near Morgan Street and provide a link in the borough’s walking trail, which was partially constructed last year.

“The (well) structure currently interrupts the path,” Mayor Lindsay Fraser said in comments to council last week. “It needs to be brought down a little and then the bridge will go over it.”

The cost and timeline have not been determined.

The borough is partnering with Friends of the Riverfront to complete a half-mile segment of the group’s larger, 33-mile Heritage Trail. The cost for that segment is $445,000.

The first half, from ATI to Morgan Street, opened last summer. The paved path was installed with a split-rail fence to border it.

The second half will run through Brackenridge Memorial Park, from the well to the Tarentum border.

Courtney Mahronich Vita, Friends’ director of trail development, said her group is working with PennDOT on the plans.

“We are hoping to release the project for bids this fall, and, if that happens, work would most likely start in the spring,” Vita said.

Kate Angell, Friends’ director of development and communications, said the footbridge not only will connect the two halves of the trail but also will help to create a safe connection so people aren’t forced onto the road.

On Wednesday, a group from Friends and TranSystems engineers spent time in nearby Tarentum at Riverview Memorial Park. Consultants were performing a site walk to start plans on Tarentum’s Heritage Trail link. It will span about 4 miles through the borough and East Deer.

Vita said the Alle-Kiski Valley portions help fill significant gaps.

“We’re excited to see these move forward,” she said.