Volume 2, Issue 2 - Riverfronts

In the summer of 2003, the PCDN focused on Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. The topic provided a timely context to discuss the value of open apace amenities in a city facing bankruptcy. The three riverfront projects were highlighted were in the planning stage then and are now near realization.

Lawrenceville Riverfront Access Renderings Pfaffmann + Associates

New Segment of Southside "10 to 1" Trail Klavon Design Associates and Friend of the Riverfront

The Lawrenceville Riverfront Access project was a response to the community’s desire to have increased access to the Allegheny River. Through a grant from the CDCP, Pfaffmann + Associates designed a kayak/canoe launch under the 40th Street Bridge, an overlook at 43rd Street, and general improvements to the existing trail.

Construction on the launch has commenced! The first phase of site improvements are expected to be completed by July. The site will feature a kayak/canoe rack donated by Friends of the Riverfront (FOR).

FOR, meanwhile, was developing plans to complete the South Side trail. At the time the trail extended westward from Station Square and eastward from 10th Street, leaving a missing link in between. With support from the CDCP and Riverlife Task Force, Klavon Design Associates was hired to design the “10 to 1” trail. In the fall of 2004, FOR secured enough funding to begin implementation of the plan. Construction has commenced on the first phase – a simple asphalt path that will complete the trail. As of this time, the trail has been extended from 10th Street to 4th Street. The full design is a multi-year project that will require substantial fundraising. Trail enthusiasts will soon be able to travel from the West End through the South Side to the Glenwood Bridge. The recent improvements are valued at over $85,000.

The completion of this link is also a significant step forward for Riverlife Task Force’s Connecting the Loop plan. This document lays out the vision for a continuous loop of trails connecting the Golden Triangle to the North and South Shores. Also noteworthy is Riverlife’s recent announcement of an international design competition for a footbridge to cross the Ohio River near the West End Bridge.

10 to 1 South Side Trail Concept Site Plan
Klavon Design Associates

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