Work set to begin on Five Star Trail reconstruction

A 1-mile section of the Five Star Trail will be closed Monday and Tuesday as preparation work begins to create additional space between it and an active rail line.

The trail will be closed between Fairview Avenue in South Greensburg and Shady Lane in Hempfield, also known as Willow Crossing, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days, according to a post on the trail’s Facebook page. Lutterman Excavating crews will be clearing brush along the shoulder of the trail.

A detour will take trail users on Broadway Avenue through the Midway/St. Clair neighborhood in Hempfield near the South Greensburg border.

Work is expected to start in the next few weeks to reconstruct that part of the trail so it is farther away from the line used by Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad. County officials have said the railroad is undertaking its own project to improve the line which will allow trains to move faster, creating a potential safety hazard to trail users.

When the Five Star Trail project gets underway, that section of the trail will be closed for about six weeks. The project is being funded at least in part by $800,000 in grants.

Currently, the narrowest distance between the trail and rail line in that 1-mile section is 42 inches. Other areas have more ample space of 10 feet.

The Five Star Trail, a rail-with-trail between Greensburg and Youngwood, is 6 miles long and used by bicyclists, runners and walkers. Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad is operated by Carload Express Inc. The Five Star Trail opened in 1996. Its name refers to the number of municipalities through which it passes — Greensburg, Hempfield, South Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg and Youngwood.