BREEZEWOOD, PA / WATERFALL,PA - The Bedford Fulton Joint Recreation Authority (BFJRA) is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $1,000 grant from the Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. This grant will be combined with approximately $1,400 from a Community Foundation for the Alleghenies grant to improve sight lines where The Old PA Pike (TOPP) Trail terminates at Pump Station Road in Taylor Township. These grants are part of a larger project to improve trail user safety. BFJRA has awarded additional funds and will soon begin other trail improvements this fall and during the summer of 2027.
The TOPP Trail is a unique 8.5-mile segment of the former Pennsylvania Turnpike that was abandoned in 1968 and acquired by the BFJRA in 2018. A central feature of the trail is its two massive historic structures: the Sideling Hill Tunnel, which is approximately 1.25 miles long, and the Rays Hill Tunnel, spanning approximately 0.7 miles. Because these tunnels have sat idle for over half a century, they require significant rehabilitation to be safely enjoyed by the public. This grant is part of a larger project that leverages the advantage of reusing existing infrastructure and preserving open space to create a premier recreational destination.
BFJRA has developed an overall strategy that will improve trail safety, security, and tunnel rehabilitation to take place over several years. The goal is to turn TOPP trail into a recreational, educational, historical and small event facility unlike any other trail in the Nation and perhaps the world.
The Bedford Fulton Joint Recreation Authority (BFJRA) is a Pennsylvania Municipal Authority incorporated in 2018 by Bedford and Fulton Counties. The Authority is mandated to fund, operate, and manage the 8.5-mile segment of the former Pennsylvania Turnpike now known as The Old PA Pike Trail (TOPP Trail). Composed of members from both counties, the BFJRA works to encourage non-motorized outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, and running, while partnering with state agencies to preserve this unique historic corridor as a sustainable economic and recreational tool for the region. More information can be found at www.theoldpapike.com.
James Wehling, The Bedford Fulton Joint Recreation Authority, 200 S. Juliana St. Bedford, PA 15522; email: jim.wehling@bfjrauthoritypa.gov Phone: 814-212-TOPP