Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Updates & Comments

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Construction Begins In Flats In 2012

12/9/11 by Ohio Bikeways

From Cleveland.com, "...[Cuyahoga] county will build a 10-foot-wide paved trail along Scranton Road from Carter Road south to University Road on the Scranton Peninsula. The 0.6-mile section will be isolated and not connect to the next section of the trail, which is 2 1/2 miles south behind Steelyard Commons. That section of the trail also is isolated and does not connect to the main artery, which ends at Harvard Road.

"But Tim Donovan, executive director of the Ohio Canal Corridor, said this next section is an important step needed to help complete the 101-mile-long trail in the northern section in Cleveland.

"You'll see the dominoes start to fall once we start this project next year," he said. "We projected four phases from a south to north direction to get this work done."

Barberton Finishes Towpath

11/30/11 by Ohio Bikeways

From Ohio.com, "...The 0.6-mile section runs south from the Snyder Avenue Trailhead, crosses the old canal and then runs next to Wolf Creek. It crosses the Tuscarawas River on a 494-foot wooden-deck bridge and skirts two old landfills. It tunnels under the rail line and the edge of PPG Industries' Lime Lake No. 3.

"A large solar panel powers the five lights that illuminate the tunnel.

"The new section then connects to the trail and a wooden boardwalk that runs along Van Buren Road south into New Franklin."

Akron Completes Towpath -- Almost

10/27/11 by Ohio Bikeways

From ci.akron.oh.us, "The City of Akron will officially open the last section of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath through the city on Wednesday, October 26, at 10:30am, at the intersection of the Canal with Bartges Street.

"...Akron is the first major city in the state of Ohio to have the entire length of the hike and bike trail completed within its corporate limits."

Bob Downing at Ohio.com reports there is a small piece yet to finish, "It is complete except for a 100-foot section at Falor Street near the old B.F. Goodrich power plant that is used by Akron Energy Systems to produce steam heat for downtown Akron where a bridge over the canal was removed. That work will be done soon."

And he adds that, "Next week, Cavanaugh Construction Co. will begin to reconstruct the Towpath Trail between West Bartges and West Thornton streets [in Akron].

"That work will cover 1,250 feet of trail. The existing trail is not up to Towpath standards and needs to be upgraded, officials said. The work is expected to cost about $900,000."

Summit County Close To Completing Towpath

10/27/11 by Ohio Bikeways

According to Bob Downing at ohio.com, "Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is working on the last section of the Towpath Trail in Summit County.

"That 1.25-mile stretch between Eastern Road in New Franklin to Snyder Avenue in Barberton is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31. It will likely be dedicated next spring."

Bolivar Receives Towpath Grants

9/28/11 by Ohio Bikeways

The city of Bolivar has been awarded a grant for $125K to build one mile of towpath trail. Fort Laurens will receive $20K to build restrooms for the trail.

The grants were awarded by the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association.

Trail Closure In Boston Mills / Pennisula Sept. 19-21

9/10/11 by Ohio Bikeways

From the Ohio & Erie Canalway website, "The section of the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail between Boston Store Visitor Center Trailhead and Lock 29 Trailhead in Peninsula will be completely closed for construction from Monday, September 19 through Wednesday, September 21, 2011.

"The Lock 29 parking lot will only be closed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily on all three days.

"The closures are required to install weirs to allow future flood waters to move over the Towpath Trail and not wash away the tread surface."

Massillon Levy Work To Close Towpath

8/22/11 by Ohio Bikeways

From IndeOnline.com, "A project to repair erosion along the Tuscarawas River levee in Massillon is expected to begin early next month, likely creating delays for motorists and temporary closures of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District has awarded a $1.1 million contract to Canton-based TAB Construction Co. for the work, which is not expected to be completed until next April, weather permitting."

Towpath Floods For 3rd Time In 2011

7/20/11 by Ohio Bikeways

Flooding has hit the towpath yet again this year. Rainfall of nearly 7" in 24 hours in parts of Akron, amounts said to be seen once in a thousand years, did the damage.

From wksu.org, "Flooding has once again closed the entire Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Also closed is the Virginia Kendall Lake area.

"This is the third time this year that flood waters have shut down the trail. And this time, flooding also has shut down the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's service to Canton until further notice."

Towpath Repairs In Stark County

6/16/11 by Ohio Bikeways

From CantonRep.com, "The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, between Butterbridge Road and Forty Corners Street NW is open again, with several rough sections including erosion along the side of the trail. Another serious washout between Forty Corners and the High Mill bridge also exists.

"Work in that area is scheduled this week. The affected area of trail will be closed while crews are using equipment to complete repairs and maintenance. Visitors should follow posted trail and parking area closure signs."

Towpath Floods Again

5/28/11 by Ohio Bikeways

The towpath was closed throughout the CVNP on Thursday. On Friday portions of the trail were reopened. To stay abreast of flooding in the CVNP, bookmark their Flooding-In-The-Park page.

Note that other towpath sections were also likely affected.

Towpath Section Closing May 14th For Event

5/11/11 by Ohio Bikeways

From TheSuburbanite.com, "On Saturday, May 14 from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., the popular Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail will be closed between the Manchester Road Trailhead (2740 Manchester Rd., Akron) and the Wolf Creek Trailhead (33 Snyder Ave., Barberton) for an annual community bike ride. The Barberton Trailhead (5 Fairview Ave., Barberton) will also be closed during the event."

Akron Towpath Construction Details

5/5/11 by Ohio Bikeways

Details have been released regarding towpath construction in Akron between Thornton and Bartges Streets. The new trail will follow a deteriorated asphalt walkway on the west side of the canal. It will be 10' wide with 2' wide shoulders and connect with the concrete trail section near Thornton Street.

Other improvements in this area include: trail signage, pavement markings, benches, trash receptacles, security cameras and lighting.

Interview With Dan Rice

4/29/11 by Ohio Bikeways

Dan Rice, CEO of the Ohio Canalway Coalition, recently spoke with us regarding the completion of the towpath trail. See the interview in the Trailside section.

Barberton Section To Be Finished In 2011

4/17/11 by Ohio Bikeways

"Work will begin soon on one of the last unbuilt sections of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Summit County.

"Haynes Construction Inc. of Norwalk will begin building the 0.6-mile trail section this month with the project scheduled to be completed by Nov. 30.

"The $1.8 million project, being supervised by Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, calls for a tunnel under an active railroad track, skirting two old landfills, a bridge over the Tuscarawas River and a second bridge over the old canal." more...

Massillon Gap May Be Closed This Year

4/17/11 by Ohio Bikeways

Assuming this project is still on schedule...

"The Stark County Park District (Stark Parks) proposes to construct a 0.12 mile section of new Towpath Trail along the US Army Corps of Engineers Tuscarawas River Flood Control Levee in the City of Massillon. The project area will extend from the newly renovated Tremont Avenue Bridge north to the Coxey Bridge, an existing pedestrian bridge spanning State Rt. 21. The proposed trail will become part of the Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail and will vary in width from 8-10 feet wide and consist of a crushed limestone surface and graded shoulders or concrete sidewalks. The project also includes construction of a switchback ramp from the Tremont Avenue Bridge deck to the levee.

"...The project’s final design is expected to be completed and reviewed by December 2010, with construction starting and finishing in 2011. The project cost is approximately $829,000."

Source: ohioeriecanal.org

Some Closures Continue Due To Flooding

3/16/11 by Ohio Bikeways

Flooding has been widespread along the towpath in the last few weeks. Some sections and trailheads are still under water within the Cuyahoga Valley.

Check their web site for the latest conditions.

Summit County Section To Be Completed In 2011

1/25/11 by Ohio Bikeways

The Bartges Road bridge construction in Akron, along with the towpath that will pass under it, will be completed by fall of 2011.

Towpath construction in Barberton at Snyder Road is scheduled to start in April and expected to be completed by November. These two projects will complete the roughly 33.4 towpath miles in Summit County.

Weekday Towpath Closure In Valley View

7/22/10 by Ohio Bikeways

From Cleveland.com: "The Towpath Trail near Fitzwater Road Bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will be closed weekdays from Lock 37 to north of the Pleasant Valley Road Bridge underpass. The closure is expected to last through September.

"The trail will be open weekends beginning at 5 p.m. on Fridays, and will re-close at 6 a.m. on Mondays. Fitzwater Road is located near Canal Road, between Canal Visitor Center and Frazee House, in Valley View.

"The National Park Service is in the process of replacing the Fitzwater Road bridges over the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio & Erie Canal spillway. The weekday closure is required to protect the public from construction activities near and over the trail."

Peninsula Restaurant

4/29/10 by dougcbus

There is a winking lizard restaurant in Peninsula, that where my wife and I always stop.

Towpath Section Closed Until 12/24/09

12/4/09 by Ohio Bikeways

The National Park Service is closing the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in the northern part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park due to bridge work.

The trail will be closed from today through Dec. 24 near the Fitzwater Road Bridge over the Cuyahoga River and the canal spillway. The park service is replacing the Fitzwater Road bridges and the closure is needed to protect the public from construction activities.

No detour is possible and violators may be be cited by park rangers.

Source: Ohio.com

Review And Related Updates

11/5/09 by Ohio Bikeways

The Bolivar to Dover portion of the review has been updated after a recent trip there. More photos will be added soon.

Also, the Zoar Valley Trail has been added to the Ohio Trails List and the Google map.

Dangerous Limb

9/17/09 by Douglas

Between Zoar and Rt. 800 there is a dangerous limb hanging down to the trail. It has been trimmed off to a height of roughly 5 feet. I am concerend someone will get hurt if they don't see it... It is about 1/4-mile from Rt. 800.

Cleveland To Barberton Report

7/28/09 by George Kirschling

Very much enjoyed this site and your hard work. Two rides last week took me from Harvard Ave in Cleveland to Snyder Ave in Barberton. With the exception of about 1000 ft, just north of Bartage in Akron (the old BF Goodrich plant), the entire trail in navigable! Even that short uncompleted section is easy to travel via parking lots. The total distance must be close to 45mi. There is still some final asphalt paving to be done, but there are no construction barriers that prevent travel along this portion of the trail. It is fabulous!!!

Stark County Closure

7/28/09 by Ohio Bikeways

As reported on the News page today, the towpath will see a temporary closure under Rt. 21 in Massillon until Friday, July 31st due to road construction.

Summit County Progress

11/3/08 by Ohio Bikeways

Towpath construction is on-going in Summit County on several fronts. In early summer '08 a new 1.1-mile section was completed from Vanderhoof to Eastern Road, just south of the Snyder Trailhead. Work is currently underway to reach Snyder Road soon.

A 275'-long bridge was constructed over the Akron Innerbelt (Rt. 59). It is part of a new trail section from Beech Street, where the trail had ended at the southern end of Akron's Cascade Locks Park, to Ash and Quaker streets behind Cascade Plaza.

Also in Akron, towpath construction at various points from Manchester Road to Waterloo to Wilbeth and Kenmore Boulevard are on-going, with some finished trail already in place. These sections lead to the southern end of Summit Lake where the ground work is being laid for a floating trail (boardwalk) which should be completed in 2009. Visit the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition pages for more updates.

Lake Avenue Trailhead Facilities & Activities

2/19/08 by John Snively

It might be worth noting in your review that the Lake Ave Trailhead in Massillon has a full service bike shop (including rental bikes), a restaurant, and a running supply store. There are also heated restrooms and a large parking area. The Stark County Bike Club does both trail and road rides from that location every Mon. and Wed. at 9:30. Our ride schedule is available at bikescbc.com.

Recent Akron Developments

9/26/07 by Greg Leimeister

The trail is completed from the Mustill Store on W. North Street South to the Interbelt Expressway (Rte 59). There is a new Trailhead across the street from the Mustill Store on W North Street. There will be a future Trailhead on Beech Street off of Howard Street.

Work is continuing on extending the trail along the Interbelt Expressway (Rte 59) where it will go under W Market Street; and then will follow along Rand Avenue (which it will tunnel under); and then a new bridge will be built so the trail can crossover Rte 59 towards Quaker Street.

New Bridges In Independence

9/26/07 by Lynda Warner

As of last fall (2006), two very unique bridges were opened, which remove the stress of having to cross two major intersections. The paved 5.7 mile section of the trail from Rockside Road north to Harvard Road is actually in the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation of The Cleveland Metroparks, which funded the bridges. This is one of my favorite locations to ride, as it is a very smooth, quiet, mostly shady place to glide along, seemingly detached from the rest of the world. Surprisingly--given that it is in the midst of an industrial city--I have sighted more wildlife here than most of the other, more remote metroparks! Herons (3 types) and many other birds, several turtle species, beaver, muskrats, ducks, and geese are among my sightings; and both the canal and the Cuyahoga River, which flank the trail, are fairly loaded with fish.

Mustill Store Trail Progress

10/20/06 by Joe Chase

The southern extension of the Towpath Trail [in Akron] is open from Mustill’s store up the Staircase Lock area, ending at a gravel parking lot near Martin Luther King Drive (also called the Akron Innerbelt). There is no trail at all from this point south, but on a quiet Sunday I was able to ride on Main Street in reasonable safety, rejoining a short segment of trail which runs from the Akron Aeros Stadium south to Canal Place (the former BF Goodrich tire plant).

At my last visit (August 2006), the Staircase Lock trail was still a mix of good asphalt and gravel, and some construction was still in process. The finished parts of the trail are 8’ asphalt, and the grade is quite reasonable. There is a temporary parking lot at the top of the grade off of Howard Street and ample parking lots near Mustill’s store on both sides of North Street.

The trail segment from the stadium to Canal Place is partly pavement, and partly a resilient paving surface (similar to an athletic track). This section is not specifically designated for bicycles and a lot of pedestrian traffic should be expected.

New Trail Between Clinton & Barberton

9/29/06 by Tom Bower

The towpath trail is now open from the Center Road Trailhead to Vanderhoof Road [between Clinton and Barberton]. A new trailhead facility is almost completed at Vanderhoof. The parking lot is not yet paved. Also, please note that the comfort station is completed but as of yesterday (Sept. 23) it was not open for use. Also, the fine gravel on this newly opened stretch is NOT compacted and is very loose and thick in spots. You can go down if you're not careful!

Towpath Extension at Mustill Store

5/11/06 by Craig Morgan

There is a lot of information on the next phase of the towpath trail under construction in Akron. The new segment will start at the Mustill store, where the trail ends now, and rise 80+/- feet to the edge of downtown Akron. Their newsletter states the trail will be open by the fourth of July ['06].

Trail Specs:

Class: A, B & C

Length: Approx. 100 miles / asphalt, crushed stone & natural surfaces

Condition: Varies from Good to Excellent

Facilities: See the review Trail Specs for facilities in each county along the route.

Food: See review Trail Specs.

Parking: review Trail Specs.

Dover Bolivar Massillon Canal-Ful. Akron Indepen. Lake-Erie

98.2mi 82.8mi 68.1mi 58.9mi 40.5mi 11.7mi 0mi

Trail Basics Trail Safety Bikeway Facilities Trip Planning Rules & Tips Trail Overseers Trail Surfaces & Uses Terms & Definitions Review Notes Trail Classes Articles Submit Updates	Resize A A A Construction Begins In Flats In 2012 12/9/11 by Ohio Bikeways From Cleveland.com, "...[Cuyahoga] county will build a 10-foot-wide paved trail along Scranton Road from Carter Road south to University Road on the Scranton Peninsula. The 0.6-mile section will be isolated and not connect to the next section of the trail, which is 2 1/2 miles south behind Steelyard Commons. That section of the trail also is isolated and does not connect to the main artery, which ends at Harvard Road. "But Tim Donovan, executive director of the Ohio Canal Corridor, said this next section is an important step needed to help complete the 101-mile-long trail in the northern section in Cleveland. "You'll see the dominoes start to fall once we start this project next year," he said. "We projected four phases from a south to north direction to get this work done." Barberton Finishes Towpath 11/30/11 by Ohio Bikeways From Ohio.com, "...The 0.6-mile section runs south from the Snyder Avenue Trailhead, crosses the old canal and then runs next to Wolf Creek. It crosses the Tuscarawas River on a 494-foot wooden-deck bridge and skirts two old landfills. It tunnels under the rail line and the edge of PPG Industries' Lime Lake No. 3. "A large solar panel powers the five lights that illuminate the tunnel. "The new section then connects to the trail and a wooden boardwalk that runs along Van Buren Road south into New Franklin." Akron Completes Towpath -- Almost 10/27/11 by Ohio Bikeways From ci.akron.oh.us, "The City of Akron will officially open the last section of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath through the city on Wednesday, October 26, at 10:30am, at the intersection of the Canal with Bartges Street. "...Akron is the first major city in the state of Ohio to have the entire length of the hike and bike trail completed within its corporate limits." Bob Downing at Ohio.com reports there is a small piece yet to finish, "It is complete except for a 100-foot section at Falor Street near the old B.F. Goodrich power plant that is used by Akron Energy Systems to produce steam heat for downtown Akron where a bridge over the canal was removed. That work will be done soon." And he adds that, "Next week, Cavanaugh Construction Co. will begin to reconstruct the Towpath Trail between West Bartges and West Thornton streets [in Akron]. "That work will cover 1,250 feet of trail. The existing trail is not up to Towpath standards and needs to be upgraded, officials said. The work is expected to cost about $900,000." Summit County Close To Completing Towpath 10/27/11 by Ohio Bikeways According to Bob Downing at ohio.com, "Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, is working on the last section of the Towpath Trail in Summit County. "That 1.25-mile stretch between Eastern Road in New Franklin to Snyder Avenue in Barberton is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31. It will likely be dedicated next spring." Bolivar Receives Towpath Grants 9/28/11 by Ohio Bikeways The city of Bolivar has been awarded a grant for $125K to build one mile of towpath trail. Fort Laurens will receive $20K to build restrooms for the trail. The grants were awarded by the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association. Trail Closure In Boston Mills / Pennisula Sept. 19-21 9/10/11 by Ohio Bikeways From the Ohio & Erie Canalway website, "The section of the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail between Boston Store Visitor Center Trailhead and Lock 29 Trailhead in Peninsula will be completely closed for construction from Monday, September 19 through Wednesday, September 21, 2011. "The Lock 29 parking lot will only be closed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily on all three days. "The closures are required to install weirs to allow future flood waters to move over the Towpath Trail and not wash away the tread surface." Massillon Levy Work To Close Towpath 8/22/11 by Ohio Bikeways From IndeOnline.com, "A project to repair erosion along the Tuscarawas River levee in Massillon is expected to begin early next month, likely creating delays for motorists and temporary closures of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District has awarded a $1.1 million contract to Canton-based TAB Construction Co. for the work, which is not expected to be completed until next April, weather permitting." Towpath Floods For 3rd Time In 2011 7/20/11 by Ohio Bikeways Flooding has hit the towpath yet again this year. Rainfall of nearly 7" in 24 hours in parts of Akron, amounts said to be seen once in a thousand years, did the damage. From wksu.org, "Flooding has once again closed the entire Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Also closed is the Virginia Kendall Lake area. "This is the third time this year that flood waters have shut down the trail. And this time, flooding also has shut down the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's service to Canton until further notice." Towpath Repairs In Stark County 6/16/11 by Ohio Bikeways From CantonRep.com, "The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, between Butterbridge Road and Forty Corners Street NW is open again, with several rough sections including erosion along the side of the trail. Another serious washout between Forty Corners and the High Mill bridge also exists. "Work in that area is scheduled this week. The affected area of trail will be closed while crews are using equipment to complete repairs and maintenance. Visitors should follow posted trail and parking area closure signs." Towpath Floods Again 5/28/11 by Ohio Bikeways The towpath was closed throughout the CVNP on Thursday. On Friday portions of the trail were reopened. To stay abreast of flooding in the CVNP, bookmark their Flooding-In-The-Park page. Note that other towpath sections were also likely affected. Towpath Section Closing May 14th For Event 5/11/11 by Ohio Bikeways From TheSuburbanite.com, "On Saturday, May 14 from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., the popular Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail will be closed between the Manchester Road Trailhead (2740 Manchester Rd., Akron) and the Wolf Creek Trailhead (33 Snyder Ave., Barberton) for an annual community bike ride. The Barberton Trailhead (5 Fairview Ave., Barberton) will also be closed during the event." Akron Towpath Construction Details 5/5/11 by Ohio Bikeways Details have been released regarding towpath construction in Akron between Thornton and Bartges Streets. The new trail will follow a deteriorated asphalt walkway on the west side of the canal. It will be 10' wide with 2' wide shoulders and connect with the concrete trail section near Thornton Street. Other improvements in this area include: trail signage, pavement markings, benches, trash receptacles, security cameras and lighting. Interview With Dan Rice 4/29/11 by Ohio Bikeways Dan Rice, CEO of the Ohio Canalway Coalition, recently spoke with us regarding the completion of the towpath trail. See the interview in the Trailside section. Barberton Section To Be Finished In 2011 4/17/11 by Ohio Bikeways "Work will begin soon on one of the last unbuilt sections of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Summit County. "Haynes Construction Inc. of Norwalk will begin building the 0.6-mile trail section this month with the project scheduled to be completed by Nov. 30. "The $1.8 million project, being supervised by Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, calls for a tunnel under an active railroad track, skirting two old landfills, a bridge over the Tuscarawas River and a second bridge over the old canal." more... Massillon Gap May Be Closed This Year 4/17/11 by Ohio Bikeways Assuming this project is still on schedule... "The Stark County Park District (Stark Parks) proposes to construct a 0.12 mile section of new Towpath Trail along the US Army Corps of Engineers Tuscarawas River Flood Control Levee in the City of Massillon. The project area will extend from the newly renovated Tremont Avenue Bridge north to the Coxey Bridge, an existing pedestrian bridge spanning State Rt. 21. The proposed trail will become part of the Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail and will vary in width from 8-10 feet wide and consist of a crushed limestone surface and graded shoulders or concrete sidewalks. The project also includes construction of a switchback ramp from the Tremont Avenue Bridge deck to the levee. "...The project’s final design is expected to be completed and reviewed by December 2010, with construction starting and finishing in 2011. The project cost is approximately $829,000." Source: ohioeriecanal.org Some Closures Continue Due To Flooding 3/16/11 by Ohio Bikeways Flooding has been widespread along the towpath in the last few weeks. Some sections and trailheads are still under water within the Cuyahoga Valley. Check their web site for the latest conditions. Summit County Section To Be Completed In 2011 1/25/11 by Ohio Bikeways The Bartges Road bridge construction in Akron, along with the towpath that will pass under it, will be completed by fall of 2011. Towpath construction in Barberton at Snyder Road is scheduled to start in April and expected to be completed by November. These two projects will complete the roughly 33.4 towpath miles in Summit County. Weekday Towpath Closure In Valley View 7/22/10 by Ohio Bikeways From Cleveland.com: "The Towpath Trail near Fitzwater Road Bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will be closed weekdays from Lock 37 to north of the Pleasant Valley Road Bridge underpass. The closure is expected to last through September. "The trail will be open weekends beginning at 5 p.m. on Fridays, and will re-close at 6 a.m. on Mondays. Fitzwater Road is located near Canal Road, between Canal Visitor Center and Frazee House, in Valley View. "The National Park Service is in the process of replacing the Fitzwater Road bridges over the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio & Erie Canal spillway. The weekday closure is required to protect the public from construction activities near and over the trail." Peninsula Restaurant 4/29/10 by dougcbus There is a winking lizard restaurant in Peninsula, that where my wife and I always stop. Towpath Section Closed Until 12/24/09 12/4/09 by Ohio Bikeways The National Park Service is closing the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in the northern part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park due to bridge work. The trail will be closed from today through Dec. 24 near the Fitzwater Road Bridge over the Cuyahoga River and the canal spillway. The park service is replacing the Fitzwater Road bridges and the closure is needed to protect the public from construction activities. No detour is possible and violators may be be cited by park rangers. Source: Ohio.com Review And Related Updates 11/5/09 by Ohio Bikeways The Bolivar to Dover portion of the review has been updated after a recent trip there. More photos will be added soon. Also, the Zoar Valley Trail has been added to the Ohio Trails List and the Google map. Dangerous Limb 9/17/09 by Douglas Between Zoar and Rt. 800 there is a dangerous limb hanging down to the trail. It has been trimmed off to a height of roughly 5 feet. I am concerend someone will get hurt if they don't see it... It is about 1/4-mile from Rt. 800. Cleveland To Barberton Report 7/28/09 by George Kirschling Very much enjoyed this site and your hard work. Two rides last week took me from Harvard Ave in Cleveland to Snyder Ave in Barberton. With the exception of about 1000 ft, just north of Bartage in Akron (the old BF Goodrich plant), the entire trail in navigable! Even that short uncompleted section is easy to travel via parking lots. The total distance must be close to 45mi. There is still some final asphalt paving to be done, but there are no construction barriers that prevent travel along this portion of the trail. It is fabulous!!! Stark County Closure 7/28/09 by Ohio Bikeways As reported on the News page today, the towpath will see a temporary closure under Rt. 21 in Massillon until Friday, July 31st due to road construction. Summit County Progress 11/3/08 by Ohio Bikeways Towpath construction is on-going in Summit County on several fronts. In early summer '08 a new 1.1-mile section was completed from Vanderhoof to Eastern Road, just south of the Snyder Trailhead. Work is currently underway to reach Snyder Road soon. A 275'-long bridge was constructed over the Akron Innerbelt (Rt. 59). It is part of a new trail section from Beech Street, where the trail had ended at the southern end of Akron's Cascade Locks Park, to Ash and Quaker streets behind Cascade Plaza. Also in Akron, towpath construction at various points from Manchester Road to Waterloo to Wilbeth and Kenmore Boulevard are on-going, with some finished trail already in place. These sections lead to the southern end of Summit Lake where the ground work is being laid for a floating trail (boardwalk) which should be completed in 2009. Visit the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition pages for more updates. Lake Avenue Trailhead Facilities & Activities 2/19/08 by John Snively It might be worth noting in your review that the Lake Ave Trailhead in Massillon has a full service bike shop (including rental bikes), a restaurant, and a running supply store. There are also heated restrooms and a large parking area. The Stark County Bike Club does both trail and road rides from that location every Mon. and Wed. at 9:30. Our ride schedule is available at bikescbc.com. Recent Akron Developments 9/26/07 by Greg Leimeister The trail is completed from the Mustill Store on W. North Street South to the Interbelt Expressway (Rte 59). There is a new Trailhead across the street from the Mustill Store on W North Street. There will be a future Trailhead on Beech Street off of Howard Street. Work is continuing on extending the trail along the Interbelt Expressway (Rte 59) where it will go under W Market Street; and then will follow along Rand Avenue (which it will tunnel under); and then a new bridge will be built so the trail can crossover Rte 59 towards Quaker Street. New Bridges In Independence 9/26/07 by Lynda Warner As of last fall (2006), two very unique bridges were opened, which remove the stress of having to cross two major intersections. The paved 5.7 mile section of the trail from Rockside Road north to Harvard Road is actually in the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation of The Cleveland Metroparks, which funded the bridges. This is one of my favorite locations to ride, as it is a very smooth, quiet, mostly shady place to glide along, seemingly detached from the rest of the world. Surprisingly--given that it is in the midst of an industrial city--I have sighted more wildlife here than most of the other, more remote metroparks! Herons (3 types) and many other birds, several turtle species, beaver, muskrats, ducks, and geese are among my sightings; and both the canal and the Cuyahoga River, which flank the trail, are fairly loaded with fish. Mustill Store Trail Progress 10/20/06 by Joe Chase The southern extension of the Towpath Trail [in Akron] is open from Mustill’s store up the Staircase Lock area, ending at a gravel parking lot near Martin Luther King Drive (also called the Akron Innerbelt). There is no trail at all from this point south, but on a quiet Sunday I was able to ride on Main Street in reasonable safety, rejoining a short segment of trail which runs from the Akron Aeros Stadium south to Canal Place (the former BF Goodrich tire plant). At my last visit (August 2006), the Staircase Lock trail was still a mix of good asphalt and gravel, and some construction was still in process. The finished parts of the trail are 8’ asphalt, and the grade is quite reasonable. There is a temporary parking lot at the top of the grade off of Howard Street and ample parking lots near Mustill’s store on both sides of North Street. The trail segment from the stadium to Canal Place is partly pavement, and partly a resilient paving surface (similar to an athletic track). This section is not specifically designated for bicycles and a lot of pedestrian traffic should be expected. New Trail Between Clinton & Barberton 9/29/06 by Tom Bower The towpath trail is now open from the Center Road Trailhead to Vanderhoof Road [between Clinton and Barberton]. A new trailhead facility is almost completed at Vanderhoof. The parking lot is not yet paved. Also, please note that the comfort station is completed but as of yesterday (Sept. 23) it was not open for use. Also, the fine gravel on this newly opened stretch is NOT compacted and is very loose and thick in spots. You can go down if you're not careful! Towpath Extension at Mustill Store 5/11/06 by Craig Morgan There is a lot of information on the next phase of the towpath trail under construction in Akron. The new segment will start at the Mustill store, where the trail ends now, and rise 80+/- feet to the edge of downtown Akron. Their newsletter states the trail will be open by the fourth of July ['06]. Trail Specs: Class: A, B & C Length: Approx. 100 miles / asphalt, crushed stone & natural surfaces Condition: Varies from Good to Excellent Facilities: See the review Trail Specs for facilities in each county along the route. Food: See review Trail Specs. Parking: review Trail Specs. Dover Bolivar Massillon Canal-Ful. Akron Indepen. Lake-Erie 98.2mi 82.8mi 68.1mi 58.9mi 40.5mi 11.7mi 0mi	Updates & Comments Featured Review Trail Specs Maps & More Scroll The Review Page For Trail Weather & Forecasts.