Pittsburgh's River Front Trails in Winter - Snow Covered? (California: lofts, casino)

[shlewis]

Hey everyone -

I know it seems ill timed to ask about snow covered trails on an unseasonably warm October day. Still, I'm curious, are the river front trails (Jail trail, Eliza Furnace, Point State Park, North Shore, South Shore... Whatev...) kept clear during the winter? Do they close?

This is the first year I'm planning on being active (i.e. running) during the winter season and I want to be prepared aside from cold weather gear. (Do I need some of those ice-shoe grippy thingies?)

Thanks in advance.

[gg]

They are open and not maintained. It doesn't snow much here and when it does, it usually melts in a few days. Nice to have grippy things though.

[Hopes]

They're not closed but they are not cleared of snow or ice. It's like going into the wilderness, it is what it is and you prepare accordingly.

[FreightTrainRunning]

The riverside trails sometimes close during the spring due to flooding.

[Mugatu]

I went on the North Shore Trail last year after one of the few snowfalls, and they had cleared some snow from around Heinz Lofts to the Casino. It wasn't exactly plowed, more like packed down and smoothed out. Looks like an ATV or other small vehicle cleared a path. No salting was done, so it was a little slick, but I was able to run on it with regular shoes.

And I remember the South Side Trail from from Station Square to a little past the Steelers practice facility appeared to have been salted after a light snowfall. I don't know how often they bother doing this though. Since last winter was so mild, maybe they had the extra budget to do some work on the trails.

[gg]

Originally Posted by GeneW

The riverside trails sometimes close during the spring due to flooding.

I was down there after that huge flood and the trails were open, just a mess. Not sure when they ever been "closed". I don't think so.

[Hopes]

Pittsburgh operates mostly on common sense.

Juliet found that refreshing because they're always trying to protect people from themselves in California.

[FreightTrainRunning]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I was down there after that huge flood and the trails were open, just a mess. Not sure when they ever been "closed". I don't think so.

They close them when they're actually flooded. Police tape across the walkways.

[Pghuser]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

I went on the North Shore Trail last year after one of the few snowfalls, and they had cleared some snow from around Heinz Lofts to the Casino. It wasn't exactly plowed, more like packed down and smoothed out. Looks like an ATV or other small vehicle cleared a path. No salting was done, so it was a little slick, but I was able to run on it with regular shoes.

And I remember the South Side Trail from from Station Square to a little past the Steelers practice facility appeared to have been salted after a light snowfall. I don't know how often they bother doing this though. Since last winter was so mild, maybe they had the extra budget to do some work on the trails.

No leadership in the Public Works Department. One year they will clear it the next year they won't. I rarely see the trails cleared. I think that they should after all of the roads are done. Some trails/sections could be hard to do even with the smaller pickups that they use.

[Impala26]

Originally Posted by Pghuser

No leadership in the Public Works Department. One year they will clear it the next year they won't. I rarely see the trails cleared. I think that they should after all of the roads are done. Some trails/sections could be hard to do even with the smaller pickups that they use.

I second this motion.

Some years, a trail will be nicely plowed and salted the day after a reasonable snowfall. Others, like in 2010/Snowmaggedon, weeks go by without them being so much as touched.

Last year however, I did notice that the Hot Metal Bike/Ped Bridge was regularly being cleared. They actually kept several shovels U-locked to the railings on either side, so it was possibly a volunteer thing? Like another poster said though, last winter was very mild in terms of actual snow totals, so it's a craps-shoot really.