Friends of the Riverfront – the organization that builds, maintains and offers events and programming on the Three River Heritage Trail and Water Trail –  had a busy year in 2024. Besides taking care of our 35 miles of the Heritage Trail, one of our big wins was finalizing our Three Rivers Water Trail Management Plan. 

It may sound “dry” – but this study on the future of the water trail is nothing less than a detailed plan for how to kickstart much more water-based recreation and river access for all of Allegheny County – a recreational expansion that is estimated to bring plenty of new revenue to the region.

At 133+ pages, the study lays out exactly how to achieve this ambitious goal and would change the three rivers for the better. And the plan also addresses a loss that is more than a hundred years old – the disconnection of our riverside communities from the river itself. Our legacy of industry has put rail yards, shipbuilding yards and expansive steel mills and manufacturing on precious riverfront land. By expanding the Water Trail, those communities are reconnected to rivers that are cleaner than they’ve been in generations.

We’re not saying you should read all 133 pages, but it’s definitely worth a look!  Read it here – or get on our newsletter list and hear more about events and development on our Three Rivers Water Trail!