title
An Ordinance Authorizing the County of Allegheny to acquire the Riverton Railroad Bridge and approaches over the Monongahela River, between City of Duquesne and City of McKeesport, from the Union Railroad Company, for the Steel Valley Trail.
body
Whereas, the County Council of Allegheny County deems it advisable to acquire, without cost, a certain railroad bridge, known as the Riverton Bridge, carrying the Union Railroad over the Monongahela River, and its approaches, which is depicted on the drawing that is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein by reference (the “Property”); and
Whereas, on February 5, 2008, Union Railroad Company (URR), an operating company of Transtar, Inc., with offices at 1200 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4219, and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR) jointly filed with the Federal Surface Transportation Board a petition under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for exemption from the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 10903 for URR to discontinue service and abandon and for NSR to discontinue trackage rights over a 1.24 mile line of railroad between South Duquesne, PA and McKeesport, PA, in Allegheny County, PA [STB Docket No. AB-183 (Sub-No. 4X); STB Docket No. AB-290 (Su-No. 301X)]; and
Whereas, said line of railroad includes the Riverton Railroad Bridge crossing over the Monongahela River and its approaches; and
Whereas, the Regional Trail Corporation, a non-profit corporation with its Board of Directors appointed by Allegheny County, Westmoreland County and Fayette County, and its chapter, the Steel Valley Trail Association, have indicated an interest in operating, administering maintaining and developing said bridge and the Steel Valley Trail as part of the Great Allegheny Passage trail system between Pittsburgh, PA and Cumberland, MD, with a connection to the 183-mile C&O Canal Towpath trail to Washington, D.C.; and
Whereas, in accordance with Section 701.02 E of the County Administrative Code, the County Manager has authorized clearing the right-of-way for development of the Steel Valley Trail by Executive Action No. 5072-08 dated January 14, 2008 which would include the acquisition of the Riverton Bridge, and its approaches, from the Union Railroad Company; and
Whereas, the County Executive has authorized to enter into a Management Contract with the Steel Valley Trail Association to develop, maintain, administer and operate the Steel Valley Trail on County-owned property by Executive Action No. 5071 dated January 14, 2008; and
Whereas, Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern Pennsylvania Growth Fund, owner of property adjacent to the McKeesport approach to the Riverton Bridge, has indicated an interest in acquiring the portion of the McKeesport approach to the Riverton Bridge, subject to the approval of the County Manager, that is not needed to develop the Steel Valley Trail.
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Incorporation of the Preamble.
The provisions set forth in the preamble to this Ordinance are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.
Section 2. Authorization to Acquire the Riverton Bridge and its Approaches.
Council hereby authorizes the acquisition for One Dollar ($1.00) and other valuable consideration of the Riverton Bridge, and its approaches, from the Union Railroad Company, subject to abandonment approval by the Surface Transportation Board. The Director of Public Works or his designee is authorized to execute in the name of the County such instruments of conveyance and other documents that may be necessary to accomplish the conveyance and transfer of the Property to the County.
Section 3. Authorization to Convey a portion of the Riverton Bridge McKeesport
Approach to the Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern Pennsylvania Growth Fund, or its Designee.
Council further grants authority convey to Regional Industrial Development Corporation Southwestern Pennsylvania Growth Fund, or its designee, for consideration of One Dollar ($1.00) and other valuable consideration, any portion of the McKeesport approach of the Riverton Bridge that may not be needed to develop the Steel Valley Trail subject to the approval of the County Manager. The Director of Public Works, or his designee, is authorized to execute in the name of the County such instruments of conveyance and other documents, including subdivision plan that may be necessary to accomplish the conveyance and transfer of the Property.
Section 4. Severability. If any provision of this Ordinance shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Ordinance which shall be in full force and effect.
Section 5. Repealer. Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Ordinance is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Ordinance.
SUMMARY OF LEGISLATION
This Ordinance would authorize the County to acquire the Riverton Railroad Bridge and approaches over the Monongahela River, between City of Duquesne and City of McKeesport, from the Union Railroad Company to be used to complete the Steel Valley Trail. The bridge will form a link in the 9-mile gap in the Great Allegheny Passage, a trail system intended to run from Washington DC to downtown Pittsburgh. The trail is complete and operating from downtown to Baldwin Borough near the Glenwood Bridge and from the City of McKeesport to Cumberland, Maryland. There, it connects with the 183-mile C&O Canal Towpath trail to Washington, DC.
The Allegheny Trail Alliance is raising the funds from private and public sources to “close the gap in the GAP”. It is made-up of seven trail organizations to form the Great Allegheny Passage. This includes the Regional Trail Corporation, a non-profit with a Board of Directors appointed by Allegheny County, Westmoreland County and Fayette County. RTC hired a Project Manager with state funds to oversee this project. The Steel Valley Trail Association, one if its chapters, expressed an interest in entering into a Management Contract to operate, administer, maintain and develop the Steel Valley Trail on any property acquired by the County for the trail. The Union Railroad intends to donate its bridge over the Monongahela River between Duquesne and McKeesport after the Surface Transportation Board approves its application for abandonment.
The Allegheny Conference on Community Development supports the GAP as a Pittsburgh 250 project. Large corporations such as American Bridge, U.S. Steel Corporation, P.J. Dick/Trumbull and others have provided considerable support to make this project possible. Union Railroad, part of U.S. Steel; Norfolk Southern Railway Company and Regional Industrial Development Corporation are now developing trail routes through their properties. Only the Sandcastle parcel remains unavailable at this time.