The Harmony Trail is Growing Again
By Bob Mulshine
On the north side of Route 910 (Wexford-Bayne Road) fresh trail is being laid on the edge of the new Harmony Station neighborhood along Brennan Road. Like the Harmony Trolley line, it runs along the utility poles following Wexford Run. The six-foot wide, crushed limestone surfaced trail ends on Brennan Road a short distance from where Manor Road meets Brennan Road. Bradford Woods is a short walk to the north.
Crossing busy Route 910 from the existing Harmony Trail to the new segment will be a challenge. Pine Township has done engineering studies. They are working to determine the safest method of crossing and have included the RCTC and the Wexford Station HOA in their planning. They hope to have planning completed this fall and the construction done next spring.
The Harmony Trail, south of Route 910, hosted two volunteer days this year. The spring event was boosted by volunteers from the Pine-Richland Football Association and the fall event was supported by the Pine-Richland Lacrosse Association. Having a couple dozen healthy young people working on trail issues ensured that a lot of work got done. The work involved patching potholes in the parking lot and fixing washed out areas on the trail. Pine Township has generously donated gravel for this work. There are a number of pipes that move water under the trail from the high side to the low side. Volunteers cleared the area around the pipe openings to remove anything that might impede the free flow of the water and anything that might have settled inside the pipes.
We also count on volunteers to remove invasives such as barberry, garlic mustard, and privet as well as planting donated wildflower seeds and seedlings. Some of our more intrepid volunteers get right into the stream to remove debris and remove some of the old pipes that are exposed in the stream bank. With all of the extra help the trail is looking very good.
In addition to the regular volunteer events our stewards put in a lot of hours controlling invasive knotweed and poison hemlock. They keep the dog waste station emptied and stocked with bags. We also have a volunteer who puts in a lot of hours managing deer hunting on the property
Next year’s trail maintenance activities will probably be very similar. There is a possibility that we will paint the Marian Crossman Bridge which is 5 years old now. We experienced some spray paint vandalism which we addressed with sanding. Fresh paint will improve the look of the bridge and protect the materials long term.
There is a committee of volunteers that focuses on promoting, preserving and improving the trail. They usually meet in the parking lot on Route 910 at 6:15 PM on the first Wednesday of the month from mid-spring to mid-fall. If you're interested in helping, contact Bob Mulshine at 412-741-0862.
Finally, a parting gift for you history and/or nostalgia buffs. A committee member attended a presentation on local trolley lines by the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum which shared this brief movie of the Harmony Line.
