Taylor Memorial Bridge Opens on Montour Trail

More than 300 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony Sunday for the opening of the J.R. Taylor Memorial Bridge connecting the Bethel Park and Peters portions of  across Clifton Road.

It was a fitting crowd in honor of the day that would have been J.R.’s birthday when he received his biggest present, the bridge erected and named in his honor.

The project was over 10 years in the making, beginning in 1999 and gaining steam when the Taylor family and Century Steel Erectors got behind the effort in 2004. Ground was broken last October and involved the endless efforts of the Taylor Family, Mingo Creek Construction, Century Steel Erectors and Bethel Park officials.

Peter Kohnke, president of the Friends of the Montour Trail in Bethel Park started the crusade to build the bridge back in 1997, although the trail’s history dates back much farther. Originally a train track, running from 1913 through 1984, the existing road passageway was removed in 1989 and the Montour Trail Council was formed the same year.

The Bethel Park portion of the walking trail wasn’t complete until 1998 and it was decided then that the only safe way to cross Clifton was to build a bridge.

“There were doubters who said we’d never be able to do it,” Kohnke said. “When we put up the sign that stated ‘Help Bridge This Gap’, I thought it would be years before it had any significant effect.”

In less than a month, he got a call from the Taylor family of Bethel Park who had just lost their son and wanted to get involved.  

“Without the Taylor Family it would not have happened,” said Kohnke.

Pat Taylor, J.R.’s mother, addressed the crowd on behalf of the family.

“There aren’t words to say how happy I am today,” she said. “There were so many friends who helped. They worked very hard and some of them never even met him. Thanks again and please enjoy that trail!”

After years of planning, a good portion of the bridge was put together in one day.

“What was amazing was the next day there were 53 volunteer ironworkers and 8 operating engineers who completed the whole assembly,” said Tom Prezel, co-chair of the engineering and construction committee for the Montour Trail Council.

Among those volunteers were J.R’s son Dakota Taylor and nephew Michael Taylor.  that took only 18 minutes to move it onto the abutments where it spanned Clifton Road. “Watching the building of the bridge was a true marvel for me,” said Prezel.

Bethel Park Mayor Cliff Morton referred to the bridge as one of the “jewels in our crown” and “the nicest things that’s happened in town for a long time.”

Other dignitaries that spoke at the ceremony included , U.S. Congressman Tim Murphy and Allegheny County Councilman Vince Gastgeb, who was a very early supporter of the bridge effort.

“The reason this happened is because of a team of people, of community, and of family who wanted it to happen," Gastgeb said. "When you have good people working together, good things happen."

The Montour Trail is part of the Great Allegheny Passage system that stretches 330 miles from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. This bridge is one of a few more that need to be completed to extend the trail 46 miles from Clairton straight through to Coraopolis. Currently, multiple sections of the trail totaling over 40 miles are completed, with a few gaps in the southern portion of the trail.

Featured speaker Congressman Tim Murphy said,  “A bridge is more than just something to bring together our recreation. It is more than just a safe crossing. I hope the children will understand that this all began as a dream. A dream that people wouldn’t let go. And because of that tenacity and hard work, they made this happen.”

The ribbon-cutting team included members of the Taylor family and all the key people dedicated to this project. Balloons were released and then, after 12 years, hundreds of community members young and old, ran, walked, and rode across the trail for the first time of many years to come.