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 An economic development initiative along the Great Allegheny Passage  These days, biking is more than pedaling, a trail isn't just a path, and a town isn't an obstacle, but an
opportunity for adventure.
Today's cyclists frequent restaurants, bike shops, grocery stores, pubs, small town shops, laundromats, and delis. They seek a touch of luxury in the form of B&Bs, massage therapy, art galleries, wineries, and visits to sites like the world-famous Frank Lloyd Wright houses. That new reality underlies the Trail Town Program®, an economic development initiative along the Great Allegheny Passage operated by The Progress Fund. 
The Great Allegheny Passage is a 141-mile rail trail that has become a main thoroughfare for cyclists
seeking winding rivers, peaks and valleys, and heritage-soaked towns. At last count, the Passage hosted
nearly 800,000 visits, generated $40 million in direct spending, and spurred an increase of 54 new and expanded trail-serving businesses, creating 83 new jobs in 8 communities.
The Allegheny Trail Alliance, with funding from Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and planning and fund raising help from The Progress Fund, developed the Trail Town concept. That marked the pairing of the ATA, a true trailblazer, with The Progress Fund, a top non-profit lender to travel and tourism businesses that now operates the Trail Town Program®. The Trail Town Program® goals are:
The Trail Town Program® works in six Laurel Highlands communities, including: 
Meyersdale - The "Maple City" hosts the PA Maple Festival and sits near breathtaking
scenery and trail features like the Big Savage Tunnel and 101-foot-high Salisbury Viaduct.
Rockwood - This charming trailside community offers B&B's, bike shops, restaurants and the Rockwood Opera House and Mill Shoppes. Confluence - The town motto is "Where mountains touch rivers," and a lovely town square, plus events like Pumpkin Fest and Old Home Days, add to its allure. Ohiopyle - Once known as Falls City, Ohiopyle is home to Ohiopyle State Park and is the most frequented of the Trail Towns. Connellsville - Connellsville's coke factories financed an elaborate built environment, now enjoyed by participants in the new, muscle-fueled trail economy. West Newton - West Newton is a historic community building a literal "Bridge to Tomorrow" to carry trail users to a new town square. And two Western Maryland communities, including: Cumberland: Known as the "Gateway to the West," Cumberland is tucked away in the mountains of Western Maryland with tree-lined streets, small town ambiance, and a unique cultural life. Frostburg: Nicknamed the "Mountain City," Frostburg boasts a bustling Main Street uphill from the trail, and is home to the Frostburg State University Bobcats. The trail's recently completed connection to the C&O Canal Towpath to Washington, D.C., is driving a surge in bike traffic. The Trail Town Program® is responding with expertise and loans for small businesses, market information for investors who want to come along for the ride, and business district planning for communities enjoying the biking boom. To learn more:
Contact us today! William Prince, Program Coordinator (724) 216-9160 extension 318 wprince@progressfund.org These partners financially support the Trail Town Program®: Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation Richard King Mellon Foundation Anonymous donor The Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation, Inc. Community Foundation of Fayette County PA Department of Community and Economic Development PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
