MTC board members broke ground many times over the years of building the Montour Trail. Read about the milestones reached along the way.
The Trail is maintained and managed by an extensive network of volunteers that includes a governing board, members, Friends groups, and donors. Collectively they contribute more than 20,000 volunteer man-hours each year! And yet, that is never enough — we can always use a few more hands to help us accomplish our annual goals. Join us and become a “they.”
Read more... The MTC’s main role is to carry out construction/rehabilitation projects, maintain a positive public interface, raise funds, recruit members, and manage its growing volunteer base. Since its founding, MTC leadership has managed this tremendous amount of activity through a formal structure with a Board of Directors, by-laws and standing committees. Maintenance is conducted by seven Friends Groups that solicit volunteers and raise funds supporting maintenance of their assigned sections of Trail. MTC’s volunteer Board of Directors serves Montour Trail members by setting goals, objectives, and policies along with creating ways to support and promote these plans. Directors serve terms of three years, for a maximum of two consecutive terms. Officers are elected annually and normally serve for one year. An annual membership meeting is held late in the year and includes a celebration of MTC’s accomplishments. Read more... The first public meeting to discuss creating a rail-trail in the countryside surrounding Pittsburgh was held in 1989. A core group of 15 committed people attended, and some of them are still active volunteers. In 1991, the MTC purchased the Montour Railroad right-of-way. Read more... Back then, MTC members envisioned a trail along the railbed, a coal transport spur abandoned in 1984, that stretched from Coraopolis to Clairton. Over the years, Council efforts concentrated on acquiring funding and rights of way, building infrastructure, paving pathways, engineering and rehabilitating bridges, joining Trail communities, building trailheads/access areas, and marketing the resource to the public. The Montour Trail Council is an original member of the Allegheny Trail Alliance and has partnered with other trails in the Pittsburgh region. It has generated funds to help complete the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) into Pittsburgh, and raised millions of dollars for trail development along both the Montour and GAP.Review MTC’s annual reports and newsletters.
Board of Directors
Deb Thompson
President
Phillip Torrez
Vice President
Fran Hensler
Secretary
Braden Ditch
Treasurer
Braden Ditch
2019-2021
Patricia Friedsam
2019-2021
Mark Imgrund
2019-2021
Jack Kun
2019-2021
Dennis Pfeiffer
2019-2021
Jim Richter
2020-2022
Jen Mosesso
2020-2022
Dave Tetrick
2020-2022
Don Thobaben
2020-2022
Deb Thompson
2020-2022
Fran Hensler
2021-2023
Mark Modispacher
2018-2020
Dave Jackal
2021-2023
David Oyler
2021-2023
Tom Prezel
2018-2020
Phillip Torrez
2019-2021
Julian Wolfe
2021-2023
MTC History
Future efforts relate to closing gaps in the southeast section — a total of less than five miles! This requires equal parts fundraising, engineering, construction, and annual maintenance. To sustain these efforts, the Council receives revenue from utility crossings and a lease from a railroad line along the trail’s Westland Branch. Revenue from shale gas deposits, annual memberships, grants and gifts also help pay the bills.
Read about the MTC’s founding fathers.
Learn the details about MTC’s efforts to build the rail-trail.
