A 2,000-foot-long biking and walking trail on the rim of the Mon Wharf is nearly complete, and officials have scheduled a ribbon-cutting for Monday.

The $3 million project, which began in March, is the first of three phases in a plan to connect Point State Park with the Eliza Furnace Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage, which goes all the way to Washington, D.C.

The wharf project features a concrete and bluestone walkway along the river's edge, bordered by a sloping ribbon of landscaping that will bring trees and shrubs to the formerly barren wharf. The landscaping has been designed to withstand the flooding that occurs on the wharf a few times a year and to allow the water to drain afterwards. Connections for high-power hoses are included so that debris can be washed away. New lighting also is being added.

The two remaining phases are an $8 million connection to Point State Park that will be cantilevered over the Mon River to avoid I-376 piers and a $4 million switchback rising from the wharf surface to the Smithfield Street Bridge. The park connection is expected to be built next year; money is still being raised for the switchback, said Stephan Bontrager, spokesman for Riverlife, which is developing the trail.

U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl are among those scheduled to speak at the 10 a.m. dedication on Monday.

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