A critical missing link on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail is getting some love from the state.

The Millvale/Shaler/Etna gap has been designated as one of the state’s priorities by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said Kate Angell of nonprofit Friends of the Riverfront. Her group manages the larger, 35-mile trail that spans the Allegheny, Ohio and Monongahela riverbanks.

“This is by far the trail gap we get asked most often about,” Angell said.

“The designation is a step in the right direction for improving connectivity from and among local communities, and, completing our vision of riverside trails on both banks of all three rivers,” Angell said.

Being named to the list could lead to funding, technical assistance and more public awareness, each of which local leaders called game-changers.

Etna Manager Mary Ellen Ramage hopes for residents to reconnect to the river because trails and natural spaces provide economic, environmental and health benefits, she said.

“Our residents have long been cut off and carved out by industry and rail corridors,” Ramage said.

Angell said the gap has been a barrier since highway construction in the 1950s, and progress on closing the gap has been hampered by challenges of land ownership and design constraints.

The topography presents unique challenges in that the trail segment would need to parallel an active railroad track while providing safety for trail users and the railroad.

“Past efforts have been limited due to the location and rights-of-way of the railway system located along the riverbank and the well field for the Shaler Hampton Water Authority,” Shaler Manager Judith Kording said.

She hopes the state recognition will spur pertinent parties to the table to consider possible solutions.

The Three Rivers Heritage Trail draws more than 1 million visitors a year, resulting in more than $26 million in spending across the region.

It is part of the Erie-to-Pittsburgh Trail, Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), the Pittsburgh to Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway and the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition network.

Completing the trail gap would boost safety, drive the economy and provide new opportunities for recreation, said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. It also would strengthen the county’s role as a hub for recreation, active transportation and tourism, she said.

Innamorato said the county will continue to work with partners to advance the connection.

Millvale Mayor Brian Spoales called the state recognition of the missing link a turning point.

“For too long, the gap has kept northern towns from enjoying an easy, car-free commute to Pittsburgh and from fully experiencing the vibrant events and destinations along the river corridor,” Spoales said.

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