Part of Great Allegheny Passage temporarily closing to fix ongoing landslides

A 1.2-mile section of the Great Allegheny Passage will temporarily close for most of July as crews work to address ongoing landslide concerns under the area of Kennywood Park in West Mifflin.

The Regional Trail Corporation, which manages this portion of the trail, says the project is intended to improve safety and serve as a temporary solution until a larger, long-term stabilization project can be completed.

"If this was not addressed and this trail had an active rockfall that was significant and was a significant safety hazard, that would shut that trail down for months, maybe even years, and that's what we are trying to avoid," said Brandon Simpson, the spokesperson for the Regional Trail Corporation.

The 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage attracts hundreds of thousands of users each year and has become a major economic driver for communities throughout Allegheny, Westmoreland and Fayette counties.

Funding from those counties, along with grants and private donations, helps keep the trail operating and supports maintenance and safety projects such as this one.

"The trail needs maintained 365 days a year," said Simpson. "And their support of our operations is paramount in making that happen. So, we try to limit us going to the specific counties as best we can but when we get to a project of this size, we need every dollar that we can get."

For more information about the closure, trail conditions, or how to support trail maintenance efforts, visit the Regional Trail Corporation's website.