A Little Detour

It looks like we’re going to have a little trail closure to be aware of for the 2021 edition of CtC. The GAP Trail will be closed due to ongoing construction at around mile 20 of The Route. There is no posted detour, so you’ll want to have some idea where you’re going ahead of time. Here’s the news post from gaptrail.org:

FEB 22 2021 | Reopening of Closed 10-Mile GAP Section near Boston is Delayed
The Regional Trail Corporation, which owns and manages a significant section of the Great Allegheny Passage between Homestead and Connellsville, closed the GAP to all travelers between mile marker 120.9 (the Buena Vista trail access area and parking lot) and mile marker 131.1 (where the GAP crosses Liberty Way in Port Vue, near McKeesport), beginning November 16, 2020.

This closure was planned to last for five months – until April 30, 2021, and perhaps longer depending on winter weather and the progress of contractors. There is no posted or easy detour, as nearby roads are hilly and narrow. We will keep www.gaptrail.org updated on progress as we receive updates from the Regional Trail Corporation.

This closure will allow contractors deployed by Elizabeth Township to install municipal sewer lines underneath the GAP for approximately nine miles. Long-term benefits include the replacement or repair of culverts that divert stormwater runoff under the GAP, and a complete trail resurfacing between Boston and Buena Vista.

Dan B. offers this handy reroute to bypass the closure: Avoid the GAP (east-bound). You’re welcome for the extra 600′ of climbing. Should you arrive there and find the work complete and the trail open, consider it a bonus.