Apr 24, 2021 3 min read

A proposed bike trail from Marianna to Monongahela with a spur to Donora would need a major “sponsor” to build and maintain it in order to become a reality, an engineer told people attending a feasibility study meeting Thursday night.

Dennis Martinak, whose planning and consulting firm is looking into the feasibility of the project, did not have an estimated price to convert the Norfolk Southern rail line into a trail, or whether the railroad company is even open to giving up its right-of-way.

“It may be determined that the trail is not feasible at all. We want to know through the process if there is support for this trail,” Martinak said during the 30-minute virtual meeting. “There’s a lot that can go into this.”

Martinak said that multiple communities would need to take ownership of sections of the proposed Mon Valley Coal & Steel Heritage Trail, much like volunteer groups and municipalities have helped the Montour Trail and Great Allegheny Passage thrive. Without that support, however, it’s unlikely the project could even get started.

He said there are numerous “challenges” with the proposed path, including missing trestles and elevation changes. Norfolk Southern is also still using portions of the railroad, and company officials have not said whether they were willing to abandon it. Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband did not respond to phone messages seeking comment on the project.

“There is going to be have to be a sponsor for the trail, and that’s going to have to be discussed,” Martinak said.

A report on the total cost of the project and whether it is feasible to build and maintain is expected to be delivered by June, Martinak said.

“We are developing those costs to the project. We are looking at those numbers,” he said. “They’ll be made public once we finish the draft report.”

A 21-mile section of the trail would run northeast from Marianna to Monongahela, along with a four-mile eastern spur toward Donora. The overall project also includes upgrades to Cokeburg Community Park and Palmer Park in Donora.

There has been skepticism about the project since it was first proposed by state Rep. Bud Cook in 2018 when he announced a $50,000 Commonwealth Financing Authority grant to perform a feasibility study. Donora Borough Council has a new makeup of members since then and has raised concerns in recent months about the project, including a decision earlier in April to table a payment to Martinak’s company until more information was released.

Borough Administrator Terri Petroske said Thursday that council members and other borough officials planned to attend the virtual session with Martinak to learn more about the project.

“We’re waiting for an update,” Petroske said before the meeting. “There are some councilmen who had some concerns. So we’re waiting back to hear back from the consulting agency.”

Petroske did not return a phone call Friday to comment on whether borough officials were satisfied with the feasibility study meeting. Cook, R-West Pike Run, listened to the virtual meeting, but said Friday he had no comment.

Donna Holdorf, executive director of the National Road Heritage Corridor, attended the meeting and told those watching that the trail would need a leader to fund-raise and coordinate with the numerous municipalities where it would travel through.

“This trail needs a champion to make it happen,” she said.