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P.O. Box 242, West Newton, Pennsylvania, 15089 United States
The Westmoreland County Section of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP).
Thanks for stopping by!
Picture by Victor Pilipovich
2026 President Karen Craig's Message
The Westmoreland Yough Trail Chapter (WYTC) supports and maintains 10.5 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). It runs along the Youghiogheny River through southern Westmoreland County.
The trail follows the former railroad bed of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad. There are several railroad artifacts along the way and a rich industrial history.
Our trail segment is wooded and very scenic. It also passes through Cedar Creek County Park. The park includes Adirondack shelters for trail users for overnight stays, plus many other great amenities.
The trail has numerous benches along the way for enjoyment and a very nice pavilion located at the Smithton trailhead.
There are kiosks along the way with trail information including our event scheduling.
The trail segment is beautifully kept by the wonderful volunteers in our organization who do everything from fundraising to maintenance and our annual events such as Trail Appreciation Day early June and the Labor Day Poker Run in September.
We are always looking for great folks to help us in our efforts.
Please come and join us, become a member and volunteer. We would love to have you.
We meet every third Monday each month at 7 PM in the Visitor's Center in West Newton, PA.
(picture is when Karen reached her 4,000 miles)
learn more about the West NEwton Bridge Rehabilitation
Project Overview
County: Westmoreland
Municipality: West Newton Borough
State Route: 136
Local Name: Route 136 (Main Street)
Project Type: Bridge Rehabilitation
MPMS Number: 03885
Proposed Construction Start: Spring 2026
Proposed Construction End: Fall 2027
Last Updated: 03/05/2026
The $20.0 million West Newton Historic Bridge Rehabilitation Project will bring the structure from poor condition to good condition, preserve its historical value, and provide safe and efficient access over the river for motorized and non-motorized traffic. Multimodal intersection improvements include safety upgrades on Route 136 at the crossing of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail, which runs along the river and is a major inter-state bicycle route and critical economic generator for this disadvantaged community. Built in 1907, the bridge carries 6,557 vehicles over the Youghiogheny River daily. The bridge also serves over 100 daily non-motorized users on average, as the only crossing in West Newton Borough. The West Newton Historic Bridge Rehabilitation Project includes complete deck replacement as well as replacement and/or repair work on the trusses, sidewalk supports, and substructure. The project will reconstruct and modernize the bridge to meet the safety and mobility needs of the growing region and restore this historic bridge to a state of good repair.
Read more HERE.
