A critical link in the 335-mile Great Allegheny Passage bicycle and hiking trail, which would connect Pittsburgh with Washington, D.C., will run through McKeesport.

The trail will go beyond Washington to Mount Vernon, Va., home of George Washington.

McKeesport is responsible for overseeing a 0.7-mile stretch of the trail, which eventually will connect the Steel Valley with completed sections of the Youghiogheny River Trail that runs to Cumberland, Md.

From Cumberland, the final link of the trail will follow the tow path of the old Chesapeake & Ohio Canal along the Potomac River, 185 miles to the Georgetown section of D.C.

The nonprofit Regional Trail Alliance Corp. is working to acquire the unused 118-year old Riverton span, which crosses the Monongahela River just west of the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge. The span is a key component in the completion of the Great Allegheny Passage trail network.

The trail network includes the Hot Metal railroad bridge over the Mon River, linking Pittsburgh's South Side with Hazelwood.

"The Palisades in McKees- port will be a trailhead in the Great Allegheny Passage trail," said Mayor James Brewster. "I'm excited be-cause the publicity that will be generated is vital to the economic future of our city.

"Scenic trails along rivers will attract people. It's our opportunity to show what McKeesport has to offer and what the city is all about."

Mayor Brewster said three trails, Steel Valley, Yough River and the planned Mon Yough, will connect at the Palisades.

"Lots of cyclists and hikers will come through our city. We hope many will use the Palisades as a rest stop and to get something to eat."

McKeesport has $513,000 in federal funding earmarked for trail improvements along the east bank of the Yough River, from the John J. Kane regional centers to the Palisades, the mayor said.

"Those improvements will allow the city and county to sponsor 'people events' that, hopefully, would boost business at the city-owned boat marina and the Palisades, in addition to other businesses downtown," he said.

Mayor Brewster mentioned an annual 10K race, half and full marathons, bike races and river-oriented events as endeavors the city might sponsor.

He has appointed a volunteer trail commission to assist the nonprofit Regional Trails Corp. in efforts to build a section that will snake through McKeesport, from the Riverton span to the 15th Street Bridge over the Yough River.

Commission members are Linda Brewster, Robert MacGregor, Laura Jenkins, Darlene Allen, Roy Faloskey, Kim Myers, Lynn Daugherty and Councilman Dale McCall.

McKeesport will be the trailhead for three trails. Regional Trail Alliance members were appointed by commissioners of Allegheny, Westmoreland and Fayette counties.

The alliance is working with Allegheny County Coun- cil to acquire the Riverton Bridge. County Chief Executive Dan Onorato is sponsoring legislation that could have Union and Norfolk Southern give up rail traffic rights to the span, which has not been active since nearby steel mills were torn down.

County council last week heard the first reading of a bill authorizing the county to acquire the 324-foot-long span without cost,

The Steel Valley section runs through the Waterfront shopping complex in West Homestead and Homestead, but ends in Munhall.

The alliance wants to extend the Steel Valley trail section along the Mon River through Whitaker, West Mifflin below Kennywood Park and Duquesne RIDC Park to the Riverton Bridge.

It would follow the path used by U.S. Steel Co. tubes that carried coke gas from the Clairton Works to mills in Homestead.