It won't be long before bikers, walkers and joggers will be able to zip from Point State Park to the Strip District along the riverfront.

Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority board members awarded a $7.4 million contract yesterday to Mascaro Contracting L.P. to start construction of an $8.5 million riverfront park at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

The park will serve as the "final piece" of riverfront trail needed to connect Point State Park to the Strip District, SEA Executive Director Mary Conturo said. The SEA hopes to have the park finished by the end of 2010.

In addition to the trail link, the park will provide tie-offs to dock as many as 26 boats. A platform will extend more than 20 feet into the Allegheny River to serve the Gateway Clipper and water taxis.

The park will stretch from the Rachel Carson Bridge to the Fort Wayne railroad bridge. A suspended sidewalk will rise about 15 feet from the platform to Fort Duquesne Boulevard and connect with an existing Strip trail.

There also will be steps to take visitors from 10th Street near the convention center's east lobby to the platform. Funding will come from federal and state sources and local foundations.

Also yesterday, the board approved a $145,897 contract with SignPro to identify the convention center as part of G-20 economic summit preparations. Painted stainless steel letters will identify the building as the "David L. Lawrence Convention Center" in several locations. The east and west lobbies also will be identified.

"We expect that the building from the outside will be the backdrop of a lot of photo opportunities and we would like to have it identified," Ms. Conturo said.

The SEA will receive a loan from convention center manager SMG to pay for the signs.