There’s a light at the end of the Big Savage Tunnel Bicyclists, hikers and trail enthusiasts from Pennsylvania and Maryland converged Memorial Day weekend along the Great Allegheny Passage in Somerset County to mark the grand opening of the Big Savage Tunnel. With the dedication of the 3,300-foot tunnel, the nearly level hiking/biking trail is now continuous for 123 miles from McKeesport across the Mason-Dixon Line into Maryland—a 20-year trail-building effort. “I have six new grandkids since I started working on the trail,” said Hank Parke, Somerset County Rails to Trails Association president. The final section of the trail in Maryland will be completed by this time next year, eventually linking Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said trails are so important because they are about connections. “Connections have a much deeper meaning when it comes to trails,” DiBerardinis said at a dedication ceremony at the tunnel. “They are connected to economic vitality, they connect people to nature and their past, and they connect people and places to one another.” The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided nearly $13 million for the Big Savage renovation project. Located in southeastern Somerset County, just a mile north of the Maryland border, the original 3,300 foot-long concrete-lined Big Savage Tunnel was built in 1911. It was last used for railroad in 1975. In 1987 the Somerset County Rails to Trails Association was incorporated and the county acquired the corridor for use as a rail trail. Work on the tunnel has included extensive rock bolting of the existing liner and installation of a new tunnel liner with an aggressive drainage system to minimize the damaging freeze/thaw conditions that have been a problem in the past. The Allegheny Trail Alliance, which is dedicated to completing the trail, is a coalition of seven organizations -- Montour Trail Council, Friends of the Riverfront, Steel Industry Heritage Corporation, Regional Trail Corporation, Ohiopyle State Park, Somerset County Rails to Trails Association, and Allegheny Highlands Trail Association in Maryland. For more information about the tunnel or the Great Allegheny Passage, call the Allegheny Trail Alliance at (888) 282-2453 or visit www.atatrail.org.		June 7, 2006 Top Stories Tom Ridge Environmental Center now open at Presque Isle in Erie DCNR appoints new director of Bureau of State Parks There’s a light at the end of the Big Savage Tunnel Facilities at Laurel Hill State Park in Somerset County will be upgraded More than $70 million available for open space conservation and recreation Bureau of Forestry employee cited for volunteer work in Indonesia More News... Also in the News Gov. Rendell’s community action team delivers more than $380,000 to Canonsburg New facilities near completion at Cook Forest State Park Dam repairs under way at Clear Creek State Park President Bush again designates June as ‘Great Outdoors Month’ Travel the state with explore PA on public TV Patterson State Park In “God’s Country,” sometimes a little shelter is all a park needs to provide. Read more... Featured Event: Community Conservation Partnerships Program 2006 Pre-Application Workshops More Events...