Clarion County commissioners earlier this week approved entering into a $1.377 million contract with Clarion County-based Francis J. Palo Inc. for work on the East Brady Tunnel.
Chris Ziegler, of the Allegheny Valley Land Trust, said the project is moving into its third phase, which includes Pennsylvania Department of Transportation funding. Ziegler also noted Palo has handled the earlier phases of the tunnel project.
Ziegler said PennDOT’s bid came in lower because the cost of steel was down. “The supplier passed the cost savings on to us,” she said. “That savings will enable us to put in lighting and asphalt. That was something we thought we would have to pull out.”
“We are going to do wind turbines for the lights,” she said. “It won’t be a bright light. It will be more like moonlight. If you forget your flashlight, you can still get through.”
The first phase of the project was in 2019.
“If COVID had not happened we would have been done a year and one-half ago,” said Zeigler, who has been collecting train parts from the tunnel, including a train brake. “I keep collecting the parts and have an area in the garage where I keep them. I might display them at the tunnel.”
The project included the restoration of a turntable and an 1899 railroad bridge. Ziegler said there will be a party when the project is finished.
The 36-mile-long Armstrong Trail is located on the former Allegheny Valley Railroad line along the eastern bank of the Allegheny River in Armstrong and Clarion counties.