From Friends of the Riverfront:

Friends of the Riverfront and Google are proud to announce the release of Steetview imagery for the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Data collection and processing started on Monday, October 6th, 2009 and wasn’t fully ready to share with the world until today. Google, using a specially design trike with mounted recording devices, ventured on all parts of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail throughout and surrounding Pittsburgh region’s riverfront, gathering images.

A first for any city in the country, Friends of the Riverfront and Google hatched the idea to partner on the project during a volunteer trail stewardship event. The goal was to provide a new experience to those who travel on the trails currently, and those looking to begin use. The Three Rivers Heritage Trail runs 22 miles in total throughout various parts of the Pittsburgh areas riverfronts, and has plans for another 27 miles in Allegheny County.

Made possible by the release of the Google Streetview imagery, Friends of the Riverfront is developing an interactive online version of the popular Three Rivers Heritage Trail map. This new version of the map, anticipated for release in April of this year, will utilize Steetview imagery for the Three Rivers Heritage Trail providing users with 360 degree view of the trail and adjacent amenities. Gaining access to the online interactive version of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail map will be available free though Friends of the Riverfronts’ website, www.friendsoftheriverfront.org along a mobile version for handheld devices.

(If you go to maps.google.com and search for “Three Rivers Heritage Trail System, Pittsburgh” and then click on Street View, you can explore the trail.)