For first-time users, the bike ride from Fifth Avenue down North Neville Street, across the railroad tracks and onto Boundary Street in Oakland can be intimidating.

First and foremost, the broken asphalt road surface into Panther Hollow is neither bike-friendly nor car-friendly.

Secondly, not all motorists obey the diamond-shaped yellow and black "Share the Road" signs prominently posted along the uneven road bordered by thriving Japanese knotweed.

Third, a barely one-wide underpass is too snug for a bicyclist and a motorist to squeeze through at the same time.

First-time users might wonder about the directional accuracy of the new circular blue sign they saw posted on a utility pole near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Neville that led them into that challenging terrain.

It is accurate. Keep pedaling.

That's what Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and a group of bicyclists did Monday after unveiling the last of 89 trail-finder signs designed to direct Pittsburghers and visitors to 22 miles of riverfront trails in the city.

After covering the half-mile distance from the new sign to the paved start of the Junction Hollow Trail, the mayor and his co-riders pedaled into The Run, threaded their way carefully around the underpass that leads to the eastern trailhead of the Eliza Furnace Trail and headed toward town.

In its way, that approach to the Eliza Furnace Trail and its scenic ride into the city is somewhat similar to the experience first-time visitors have when they come through the Fort Pitt Tunnel and see the fountain at Point State Park, the gleaming skyscrapers of Gateway Center and the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers.

"Our beautiful riverfronts are one of our city's most valuable assets, and arguably, one of the most underused assets," Ravenstahl said. "With signs reminding them of the healthy outdoor activities that exist in 'America's Most Livable City,' I hope to see more families on the trails this summer."

One way families and others can sample the trails is to sign up for the 15th annual Pedal Pittsburgh May 18, a variety of rides organized by the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh that range from 6 to 60 miles in length. For more information, go to www.pedalpittsburgh.org or call 412-232-3545.

Ravenstahl said the circular-shaped trail-finder signs were designed through a collaborative public/private partnership by the city, the Friends of the Riverfront, and the Riverlife Task Force. The signs, which cost $52,000, were paid for through a Federal Transportation Enhancement Grant secured by U. S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills.

The signs direct cyclists and trail-goers to riverfront trail entrances and motorists to free trail-head parking lots. A similar set of signs will direct cyclists from Schenley Park to Frick Park, connecting two of the city's major recreational assets.

The mayor praised the efforts of the Friends of the Riverfront, the primary stewards of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail for their work in transforming Pittsburgh's riverfronts.

"Through intense collaboration with community partners, government officials, and a diverse volunteer base, our rivers and riverfronts have been transformed from industrial wastelands to international examples of environmental renewal," said Tom Baxter, executive director of Friends of the Riverfront.

"Whether you bike, hike, rollerblade, or paddle along our beautiful shores, we encourage everyone to take advantage of these assets," Baxter added.

Bike Pittsburgh, the city's largest advocate in encouraging environmentally-friendly bicycling as a mode of transportation, helped to decide where the signs would be best placed.

"I think it's fantastic that the city is investing more in our trails by making them easier to find and access," said Scott Bricker, Bike Pittsburgh executive director.

The Big Savage Tunnel, the 3,300-foot route to and from the Mason Dixon Line and western Maryland, is open for the season. It is one of the most impressive accomplishments of the Great Allegheny Passage, the 150-mile non-motorized, multi-purpose trail that, when completed, will extend from Point State Park to Cumberland Md.

For more information, go to www.greatalleghenypassage.org or call 1-888-282-2453.