Submitted by Debra Hall Dunkle, Everett Regional Manager, Mid State Trail Association, Inc.
On January 25, 2014, the Mid State Trail Association, Inc. (MSTA) was proud to dedicate the new Yellow Creek Bridge(see photo on left) in Loysburg Gap, South Woodbury Township, Bedford County.
This 85' fiberglass hiking bridge was designed by ET Techtonics, using components made by Creative Pultrusions, Inc, fabricated by Structural Fiberglass Inc (Garry Goss, President), and set into place by Ventura Construction (Lou Ventura, President).
This lightweight, corrosion-resistant, low-maintenance fiberglass-truss span replaces a wood-and-wire swinging bridge set decades ago (see photo below).
John Stein, first MSTA Everett volunteer Regional Manager, saw the need for a safer bridge, and worked with volunteers Ron Stanley and Tom Kelliher to secure the initial project funding. Keller Engineers Tom Morisi and Shawn Ritchey, along with Pete Fleszar, MSTA Vice President and GIS Coordinator, and Deb Dunkle, Project Chair for the MSTA, worked together to bring this project to reality within budget and time constraints. The bridge was set on December 13, 2013 - Merry Christmas, Bedford County, from the MSTA!
Thank you to Randy and Gloria Smith, their parents Mildred and the late Ross Smith, and George Snyder for graciously permitting the bridge to be placed on their property.
The ribbon cutting was at noon on Jan 25, 2014 on the bridge site in Loysburg PA. Local church youth and leaders planned several short hikes that day, as well.
MSTA is accepting local volunteers interested in maintaining sections of the trail in the Everett region. There will be a local trail meeting after the dedication at the New Frontier Restaurant, 1000 Woodbury Pike, Hopewell, at 2 PM. New members are welcomed.
Funding assistance for Yellow Creek Bridge has been provided by the PA Recreational Trails Program, Federal Highway Administration, Pennsylvania DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. Structural Fiberglass Inc, Garry Goss, president provided a significant generous donation and some local businesses and individuals also helped the MSTA to meet the matching funds requirements. Over the years this project worked with PA Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Protection each approving the necessary permits.
The Mid State Trail is the longest hiking trail in PA, crossing the waist of the Keystone State from the MD border to the NY border. MST connects to other trails as Great Eastern Trail, providing hikers an extended exposure to nature and rural culture following connected footpaths from Alabama to NY. MSTA is the all-volunteer non-profit organization that cares for the Trail, in cooperation with PA DCNR, Bureau of Forestry, PA Game Commission and many other private and public landowners. See the official website for more information: http://www.hike-mst.org
Click here (p.1) and here (p.2) to read the article about the new bridge that was in the January 8, 2014 edition of The Bedford Gazette.