"It started with a meeting in a London man’s living room. A decade later, Madison County has 16.5 miles of paved walking and biking paths and is part of the cross-state Ohio To Erie Trail.
"The London man is Wayne Roberts, who on Jan. 20 stepped down as president of the Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails, the all-volunteer group he started in 1999.
“I first learned about the Ohio To Erie Trail in a newspaper article. Jim Campbell from Springfield’s Parks and Trails gave a talk about the trail at a women’s club meeting in London,” Roberts said. “From there, I started inquiring around the county to see if anyone was involved with a group to assist with the trail coming through Madison County.”
"When he didn’t find such a group, he started his own. Since that time, the resulting Friends of Madison County Parks and Trails (FMCPT) has worked in tandem with the Madison County commissioners, who make up the county’s park district board, and grant writer Julia Cumming of the Madison Soil and Water Conservation District." Read more...
"U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, frustrated that the Ohio Department of Transportation has dug in its heels and won't consider a multipurpose lane on the new Inner Belt Bridge [in Cleveland], wrote the administrator of the Federal Highway Administration on Friday, asking him to ensure the lane is included in bids for the span.
"In his letter to Victor Mendez, Kucinich wrote that he heard Ohio "cannot veer from its path toward the current plans to exclude bikes and pedestrians. . . . The issue of bike and pedestrian access to this signature bridge must not be swept under the rug due to a bureaucratic snafu."
"Kucinich, a Democrat from Cleveland, sent the letter in response to comments made earlier in the day by Craig Hebebrand, the bridge's project manager, to Cleveland Planning Commission members. Hebebrand said the three design/build teams that will bid this year on the $450 million bridge project can't include an alternate bid to add a multipurpose lane." Read more...
Follow this ongoing story below.
"Activists hoping for a bicycle lane on the new Cleveland Inner Belt Bridge had their idea rejected Thursday by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
"In a statement released by the department's attorney, ODOT said no to the request made by several groups that had enlisted the aid of Kent State University's Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative to create a bike lane on the new bridge over the Cuyahoga River. ODOT has refused for years to consider a bike lane on the bridge, and Thursday reiterated its stance.
"The department said that there are available alternative bike routes; there are safety and maintenance challenges of having a bike lane on the bridge; and the bridge's estimated cost, $450 million, prevents ODOT from designing one." Read more...
Read a previous post on this subject.
"A proposed pedestrian bridge linking the T.J. Evans Bike Path and Raccoon Valley Park will get a shot at making a list of projects eligible for state funding after all.
"The Granville Township trustees agreed last week to sponsor the Granville Rotary Club's application for state Transportation Enhancement Program funds toward construction of the bridge. That will allow the club to submit a letter of interest that will determine its eligibility to apply for a TEP grant. The grant could furnish up to 80 percent of the estimated at $1.2 million cost of building the bridge.
"The club needed backing of a public body in order to request eligibility for the grant. At its Jan. 20 meeting, Granville Village Council voted to submit a letter of interest for TEP funds for a pathway on Burg Street but turned down a proposal to do the same for the bridge project." Read more...
Read a previous post on this subject.
"One member of the Monroe City Council is seeking to better connect neighborhoods. Councilwoman Suzi Ruben says she’d like to have a bike trail in the city as part of the Great Miami River Recreation Trail System in Butler and Warren counties.
“There have been a couple of attempts to try and do something off and on, but it’s a pretty big challenge and it takes some money. If we can get some grants that might be helpful,” she said.
“The real problem is getting across Ohio 63 and getting across Ohio 4. That’s going to take a bridge or something like that. At least if we can connect in with the trail, that’s a good start. Ideally, it would be nice to do both of them at some point.” Read more...
Federal funding for new rail projects -- light and high-speed -- has some wondering if a few Ohio bike paths residing on old rail corridors will be converted back to rail use.
The very definition of railbanking is to preserve corridors for potential future rail use. However, this does not mean a re-conversion is practical or desirable. Many considerations come into play such as:
That's not to suggest that railbanking is a false premise or a waste of time, but rather a number of conditions must exist to make the re-purposing of these corridors viable.
We happened upon an article where a Knox County Commissioner asked an ODOT rep about the possibility of the Kokosing Trail being re-purposed for rail use:
"...Will you take our bike path for that [the proposed 3-C rail line]?” Commissioner Bob Wise asked, referring to The Kokosing Gap Trail from Mount Vernon to Danville, the Mohican Valley Trail from Danville to Brinkhaven, and the still-being-constructed Heart of Ohio Trail from Centerburg to Mount Vernon.
“I would be very surprised to see that happen,” Wyant said, noting that most of the language about reversion to eminent domain in old railroad rights of way is language left over from contracts established over 100 years ago. She said building new railroads would likely be quicker than adapting older roadbeds."
"If a civil rights lawsuit against various county law enforcement agencies is not settled out of court, it will take 18 months before a jury gets to weigh in. That’s when the suit of Anthony Patrick will come to trial before Judge Michael Bennett in U.S. District Court, Western Division, in Cincinnati.
"In August 2009, a suit was filed by Patrick, a Huntington, W.Va.-based construction firm owner, charging his civil rights were violated when he was Tasered and arrested in the village of Chesapeake [Ohio] one year earlier.
"Patrick and a juvenile were biking through Chesapeake as part of an endurance ride through Lawrence County before returning to Huntington. As they came through Chesapeake, they contend they were stopped and Tasered by Lawrence County Sheriff’s deputy Charles Hammonds and Dennis Gibson, then a village patrolmen and now Chesapeake Police Chief.
"Patrick, then 37, was arrested and taken to Lawrence County Jail where he was charged with obstructing official business, resisting arrest, attempted assault on a police officer and operating a bike on the road.
"A year after the incident Patrick filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court naming current Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless, Hammonds, then Chesapeake Police Chief Russell Bennett and the village as defendants.
"The trial is set for July 18, 2011."
"[On January 14th] I defended a young man named Michael in Franklin County Municipal Court. Michael had been cited for "taking the lane" on High Street, i.e. riding in the center of the lane, rather than to the right side of the lane.
"Experienced cyclists like Michael know that this is the safest way to ride on narrow city streets--riding to the right side of a narrow lane invites motorists to pass in the lane which can have deadly consequences. The Columbus traffic code was amended within the last 2 years to specifically address this issue, but it seems law enforcement officers are either unfamiliar with the new law or unwilling to apply it.
"On the evening of December 2, 2009, Michael was riding south on High Street between Nationwide Blvd and Spring St. It was 10:30 at night and raining. Michael was riding in the middle of the lane. A police officer pulled up next to him and directed him to move over to the right side of the lane. Michael refused and said he didn't feel safe there and that he had the right to ride in the middle of the lane. The officer slowed, pulled in behind Michael, turned on his flashing lights and cited Michael under Columbus City Code Section 2173.04(A)..." Read more...
Read a previous post regarding this incident.
Excerpts from a report on stimulus funding for road and bridge work in the Akron, Ohio area:
"...The stimulus projects include improving Frank Boulevard, South Main Street and Hilbish Avenue, rebuilding the Bartges Street bridge over the Ohio & Erie Canal and extending the Towpath Trail from the AES building to the trailhead south of Bartges.
"...Bartges Street bridge over the Ohio & Erie Canal: Replacement, with a twin span over the waterway and future towpath. Cost: $3.1 million, with multiple funding sources, including stimulus. Cost for the Towpath Trail extension from the AES building to Bartges: about $3.3 million, also with multiple funding sources, including stimulus." Read more...
"This [CVNP] Plan is needed as a strategic tool to guide the future course of trail management and development in Ohio’s only National Park. The park’s original 1985 plan is outdated and largely implemented. Regional trail networks have blossomed across Northeastern Ohio, increasing demands for additional trail connections, new trail uses and expanded recreational opportunities. The broad purpose of the TMP [Trail Management Plan] is to identify management objectives and strategies to guide the development, protection, management, operations and use of the trail system within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park over the next 15 years to meet new challenges and opportunities."
Learn more about the trails plan and the upcoming public meetings to be held February 11 & 13th at the Happy Days Lodge in Peninsula, Ohio.
"An Akron man pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide Thursday, explaining in Summit County Court that he had spent the night drinking before he struck and killed a man on a bicycle on Oct. 13.
"Charles Wilson, 36, faces a maximum of eight years in prison for the death of Lawrence Yelding, 58, of Akron. Police said Wilson's drove a pick-up truck through a stop sign on East Miller Avenue, then struck a utility pole and Yelding's bicycle.
"Wilson told the court he got out of the disabled truck, which he took without permission from a friend, and ran away after seeing the badly injured Yelding on the ground." Read more...
"A survey of the 4 mile segment of the Ohio River Trail was completed in 2009 by Hamilton County Park District and The Ohio River Way from downtown to Lunken.
"The purpose of the survey is to identify the pinch points in the 50ft. wide corridor that will require retaining walls and new bridges when it is re-constructed for passenger rail and to explore where a permanent trail can be located compatible with rail.
"This is an important ingredient in obtaining Federal Transportation Authority (FTA) approval for the temporary trail. In addition, The Ohio River Way will be working with the Eastern Corridor Transportation Improvement District to insure that their next round of studies include the evaluation of a permanent trail in the Oasis Corridor as a part of the multi-modal transportation plan." Read more...
"Bicycle advocates in state legislatures are once again promoting bills that require motorists to give bicyclists 3 feet of clearance when passing.
"Currently, 14 states require a 3-foot gap for bicycle riders. They are Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
"This year, lawmakers in Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota and Virginia are considering 3-foot laws. At least one other state, Washington, has a 3-foot passing law in committee from last year." Read more...
"Grants will be sought for several bike path extensions in Athens County, officials say. The county is putting forth two proposals, and the city of Athens also is applying for funds.
"...Eichenberg said the county’s top priority is extending the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway to Athens High School and The Plains, since it would require less local match money. The .79-mile extension would tie into the bikeway at Eclipse Company Town and connect to North McDonald Street in The Plains, thus tying the bikeway into that community’s street system.
"Eichenberg said the path would be built parallel to Johnson Road along the county’s 60-foot right-of-way, leaving a safe buffer between the bike path and the busy road.
"...The second county project would connect the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway on East State Street to County Road 24A (South Canaan). This path would run parallel to Route 50 near Holzer Clinic. The total length of the extension would be 1.53 miles and would cost $1.13 million to construct. After ODOT and ODNR grants, the local match would be $86,476.
"The city of Athens is applying for a grant from ODNR to extend the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway from the West State Street Park across the Hocking River to connect to the abandoned railroad bed that is being developed into the Moonville Rail Trail. The extension would be approximately 1,000 feet and cross a former railroad bridge over the Hocking River.
"...The Moonville Rail Trail is not yet complete, but it would follow the former railroad base. The goal of the Moonville Rail Trail Association is to extend the trail from Red Diamond, which is near the village of Zaleski, through the hills of Vinton County to Athens County near Grosvenor, just west of the city of Athens. The group has been planning to connect to the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway since 2001." Read more...
Read a previous story on this subject.
"Big changes are expected for the intersection of Freeman Road and state Route 3 [in Genoa Township]. During the Genoa Township trustees meeting on Thursday, Jan. 21, Township Administrator Paul Wise announced the $323,700 project was approved by the Ohio Public Works Commission.
"It will include a new traffic signal and turn lanes at the intersection, and realignment of the Genoa Trail along the east side of Route 3.
"The project is slated to start in September and be completed in early 2011. Due to the status of the project, Wise said it could qualify as "shovel ready" and be eligible for stimulus funding that would pay for 100 percent of the project." Read more...
"Trustees said the final design change details are being reviewed for the south section of the recreational trail before the project’s acquisition phase is closed.
"This is the last segment in Miami County of the south part of the [GMRT] bike trail that extends down into Montgomery County, said Mary Lou Wilson, the township’s special projects administrator."
"A proposed pedestrian bridge linking the T.J. Evans Bike Path and Raccoon Valley Park will get a shot at making a list of projects eligible for state funding.
"The Granville Township trustees agreed Wednesday to sponsor the Granville Rotary Club's application for state Transportation Enhancement Program funds toward construction of the bridge. That will allow the club to submit a letter of interest that will determine its eligibility to apply for a TEP grant. The grant could furnish up to 80 percent of the estimated at $1.2 million cost of building the bridge.
"The bridge would provide a way for children and families to walk or ride bikes to the park. It also would help create a pathway loop for recreational use." Read more...
Read a previous post on this topic.
"Construction of a two-mile stretch of the Miami 2 Miami Bike Trail that would go through Fairfield Township could begin later this year. It is dependent on receipt of a $500,000 Clean Ohio Trails Fund grant the Butler County Department of Development is applying for.
"The Great Miami River Recreation Trail was first planned in 1976 to go between Piqua and Fairfield. Butler County sections already exist in Fairfield, Hamilton and Middletown, said Joe Schmidt, senior planner with the county development department.
"There is a gap between Hamilton and Middletown that includes Fairfield Township. The grant would help pay for construction of the trail along the Miami & Erie Canal towpath between Allison Avenue and the Rentschler Forest Preserve soccer fields. The property for the trail is already owned by either Butler County commissioners or MetroParks of Butler County, so no funds would have to spent on land acquisition, Schmidt said.
“This is a very long trail,” Schmidt said. “We’re hoping to extend the trail into Fairfield Township."
"The $1.5 million project would be paid for with the state grant and a $1 million gift earmarked for the project in 2001 by the Hamilton Community Foundation.
"As one of the project partners, Fairfield Township trustees have agreed to maintain the path for the first three years after construction. Not yet decided is whether township crews will do the work or if it would be contracted out.
"Schmidt said the county should hear sometime in June whether it received the grant. If so, work could begin late summer or early fall.
"Trees would have to be removed from the path and utility poles relocated before the trail could be constructed.
"A 1.5 mile segment of the Olentangy Trail will be closed, between Pacemont Avenue and Patterson Avenue, from January 26 to April 2. A detour will be posted beginning from Pacemont Avenue to High Street, south to North Street, to Neil Avenue, then west on Patterson Avenue to return to the trail. From the south, the detour will route from Tuttle Recreation Center at Patterson Avenue, east to Neil Avenue, north to Dodridge Street, east to High Street, north to Pacemont Avenue, then west to return to the trail.
"The closure is due to a sewer improvement project.
"Additional questions or concerns can be directed to njdomenick@columbus.gov (Sewers and Drains) or 645-2441 (Recreation and Parks)."
"Uranium-235 has a radioactive half-life of roughly 700 million years. Tim Donovan is afraid it might take that long to find a way to get the Towpath Trail built through Cleveland.
"But Donovan, the director of the Ohio Canal Corridor, is also now more desperate than ever to find a way across 55 acres along the Cuyahoga River to build one of the final legs of the long-anticipated hiking and biking trail. There's only one thing standing in his way -- radioactive soil.
"Worse, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in a lengthy report Jan. 20 that the site will not host the Towpath Trail anytime soon. That conclusion was made even though remaining uranium and other radioactive materials in the soil at the former Harshaw Chemical site just south of the Harvard-Denison bridge are not deemed too dangerous to prevent the land being used for passive recreation.
"Federal officials said last week they will follow a methodical, predetermined process that will likely mean another four or five years before the planning and cleanup of the property is complete." Read more and view a map of the affected area.
"The Ohio Turnpike has stopped charging cars higher tolls when they're carrying bicycles or luggage on the roof.
"Toll changes that took effect last year put vehicles with rooftop luggage carriers or bike racks into a higher toll classification meant for taller commercial trucks and moving vans.
"Laser scanners that measure the heights of vehicles still cause the toll plazas to spit out the more expensive tickets to cars with items on the roof. But turnpike spokeswoman Lauren Hakos says toll collectors are now making adjustments and taking lower toll amounts from passenger vehicles. It means a $10 difference for a car traveling the entire length of the toll road.
"Hakos says E-ZPass users will have to call customer service to get a refund."
Read an earlier report on this subject.
"More than $240,000 in grants will be sought from a state recreational trails program to extend a Kyle Park bikeway and a sidewalk along North Hyatt Street to the high school.
"The application for the grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was approved Monday, Jan. 18, by the city council. The council reviewed the proposed application at a work session earlier this month.
"Brad Vath, assistant city manager, said the requested $245,000 grant would cover 80 percent of the proposed projects. The Kyle Park project, estimated at $156,500, would extend the 10' wide bikeway 1,500 feet west to South Third Street/Maple Hill Drive." Read more...
"Sixth-grader Libby Kim saw a problem she knew she could help solve. Libby and nine other members of a local FIRST Lego League robotics group, which encourages students to use technology and teamwork to overcome obstacles, realized there was no good way to bicycle from their Hunter’s Ridge subdivision to Beavercreek’s Rotary Park and the rest of the city’s extensive trail network.
"Libby’s group already needed to identify a way to improve their community for this year’s league competition with the theme “Smart Moves.” So they decided supporting an extension of the city’s bike path system from Hunter’s Ridge Park to Rotary Park was the perfect fit.
“We’re just working on trying to make it safer in our community,” Kim said. “We like to go on bike rides and we realized it was hard to get to the park..." Read more...
"If you haven’t notice[d] by now, cycling is a huge passion of mine, as is supporting the City of Dayton becoming a more bike friendly community. I’m sure you’ve noticed the bike lane stripping, signage, events and construction going on around the city and are hopefully ready for more to come. Most of these efforts are products of the BikeWalkDayton Team.
"The BikeWalkDayton team is said to be lead by Commissioner Nan Whaley and is comprised of City of Dayton Commission Staff, Police Dept., Planners, Engineers, and outside organizations such as Five Rivers MetroParks, Miami Conservancy District, and Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. Their mission is to create a more liveable, walkable and of course, bikeable city.
"One current project of the team is creating a city wide bike map detailing trails, lanes, and on road suggested routes. The map is still a work in progress but the BikeWalkDayton team is interested in soliciting your feedback...
"If you care about the future of our community, want to be able to more safely walk and ride your bike to work and around Dayton then here is your chance to chime in." Read more...
"Though it may geographically be the end of the road, funding for continuing the Valley Parkway All-Purpose Trail [Emerald Necklance Trail] from Ridge Road to Route 21 has only just begun.
"Last year, Broadview Heights as the lead community, North Royalton, Brecksville and the Cleveland Metroparks sponsored a Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative Grant to study the completion of the two-mile gap. The grant, offered through the Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency, may increase the chances of garnering federal funds for the continuation.
"...The first phase would likely continue the trail from Broadview Road to Route 21 but would not include a major overpass upgrade. Phase two would take the trail from Broadview into North Royalton and phase three would address the I-77 overpass issue." Read more...
"Funding from one of two state sources is being sought to cover the engineering cost associated with a 1.5-mile extension of the Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail.
"Dottie Betz, chairman of the Columbiana County Park District, said they are applying for a $68,473 grant from one of two grant programs available through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in the hope one of them will be awarded.
"The 10-mile Greenway bicycle trail currently extends from Lisbon to High Street in Leetonia near the American Legion. The park district has obtained $460,000 in federal funding to cover the cost of extending the trail, minus the engineering fee, to Bertolette's Alley in Washingtonville, a distance of 1.5 miles.
"...If everything works out, the extension could become a reality by 2012. This would bring the trail within 300 feet of the Mahoning County line, where the Mahoning County Metroparks plans to extend its bicycle trail to link with the Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail.
"This is all part of a larger effort by the Greater Ohio Lake-to-River Greenway Coalition to link with bike trails in Trumbull and Ashtabula counties, creating a continuous trail that would extend eventually from Lake Erie to the Ohio River in East Liverpool." Read the complete article.
"A long-awaited $60 million road project designed to transform the fast lanes of the West Shoreway into a tree-lined boulevard got a key assist from state lawmakers last week.
"Rep. Michael Skindell, a Lakewood Democrat, got language slipped into an unrelated bill that would drop the speed limit on a stretch of the West Shoreway, from 50 mph to 35. The bill passed the Ohio House Wednesday and now moves to the Senate.
"However, drivers aren't likely to see the speed limit drop until about 2013, no matter when state lawmakers end up getting the provision enacted.
"...The idea behind the project is to make road, tunnel and intersection improvements between downtown and West Boulevard and to make Edgewater Park and the lakefront more accessible from West Side neighborhoods now cut off.
"...The project has been divided into two phases, with work to begin this summer on rebuilding a crumbling pedestrian tunnel running under the roadway to Edgewater Park. Construction of a bike trail linking with an existing trail in Edgewater Park to form a continuous path is also planned for the first phase of the project as well as the new West 73rd intersection." Read more...
"Members of the Athens Conservancy addressed the county commissioners on Tuesday about their desire to obtain former railroad rights-of-way in order to pursue creation of a countywide biking/hiking trail.
"The members were seeking letters of support from the commissioners for two grants that would allow them to obtain the former rights-of-way in Athens, Rome and Troy townships. The commissioners agreed to write the letters.
"Conservancy vice president Phil Cantino explained that the group has been working on obtaining state trail grants to be able to afford purchasing the rights-of-way. It’s possible, Cantino said, that at some point a biking and hiking trail could link Columbus, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., through Athens County. “If we start doing this stuff and stating our intentions, I think we could find that we are on the connector route between Columbus and Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh too, for that matter,” Cantino said.
"The conservancy is currently assisting the Moonville Rail-Trail, Inc., organization in applying for a Clean Ohio grant to purchase additional railroad grade for their multi-use trail project.
"The Moonville Rail-Trail is hoped to eventually connect to the Hockhocking-Adena bikeway in Athens, and that would be a contribution toward that,” Cantino said." Read more...
"A trail that would have provided a means for the public to view the North Branch Preserve property of the Cleveland Metroparks, which was purchased by the City of Solon through a state grant nearly nine years ago, may not be created.
"Solon City Council's safety and public properties committee approved a motion last week to delete the reference to a trail in the agreement with the Cleveland Metroparks and refer it to the law director for his review prior to being forwarded to council. The action will be subject to the review of Law Director David J. Matty, along with the original agreement.
"Approximately four years ago, the Cleveland Metroparks presented the city with a layout for trails for the North Branch Preserve property. One of the parts of the final agreement that was entered into regarding the land was that an appropriate handicapped-accessible trail would be installed at the expense of the Metroparks from Hawthorne Parkway in the Metroparks system to the North Branch Preserve property. The proposed 800-foot trail carried a price tag of $78,000.
"The public land continues to have no sign to designate its existence or any paths to lead people through it." Read more...
"2010 will be a busy year for greenways in Columbus…and well it should be. We have lots to share.
"Starting with the hard news—the trail will be closed between Pacemont and Patterson for a sewer improvement project. I’ve attached the detour (which of course has to rely on High St.). Utilities has promised us this will be very quick, mostly February and March.
"OSU is building the trail @ Herrick Bridge and the Drake Union!!! (I’ll let Steve Volkmann chime in on this–he’s done all the hard work.) Many of you have already heard about it. This is a fantastic improvement. It will mean a Cannon Drive work around the campus trail section for a season…but I think we all will rejoice when this is all done. Congratulations Steve on patience and perseverance.
"We will be out on the path this spring with some needed safety improvements:
"A new bridge is now under construction: the first ever bikeway project in the west side – the Scioto Hilltop Connector bridge. This bridge will span the Scioto from McKinley Ave. to the existing trail from Grandview Ave. to Riversedge. Actually, there’s a ton of projects in the next two years in the near west side/Grandview areas. In short, we will have seamless connectivity from Harrison West to Hilltop, from Upper Arlington to downtown. This was a long time coming, with lots of planning, coaxing, and discussion.
"Note: Keep crossing your fingers on congress, the state, and the city on continuing their crucial support for projects such as these…it is the lifeblood of our move towards an active transportation Mecca." Read more and view the project map.
"A handful of farmers and property owners not wanting to see an abandoned rail bed converted to a walking and biking trail brought their case to the commissioners Tuesday.
"John Douglass, a dairy farmer in Baughman Township with 1,650 cows, reiterated his opposition to plans to make an abandoned railway from Orrville to Clinton a public trail by Wayne County Rails to Trails. He is concerned a bike trail would negatively affect his farm, along with three others in the area.
"Brian Bilinovich, a Chippewa Township property owner, expressed concern about crimes committed along trails in Ohio and across the state, and he gave commissioners Jim Carmichael, Ann Obrecht and Scott Wiggam a document detailing more than 300 incidences ranging from trespassing to murder." Read more...
Read an earlier story on this topic.
"Butler County officials hope to soon secure another piece in the puzzle of paving a bicycle path all the way from Fairfield to Piqua.
"On Thursday, Jan. 21, commissioners agreed to apply for a $500,000 grant from the state for a slice of path through Fairfield Twp. The Hamilton Community Foundation’s pledge to foot the rest of the project’s $1.5 million bill “puts us really at the top of the list (for state funds),” said county senior planner Joseph Schmidt.
"The planned path would stretch roughly 2 miles from Allison Avenue near Hamilton’s edge to the Rentschler Forest Preserve, mostly along Canal Road. The path would use the right-of-way that still exists from the tow path of the old Miami-Erie Canal, Schmidt said.
"It coincides with another path planned to start at Allison Avenue and stretch another roughly 2.5 miles to the foot of the High-Main Bridge — linking it with an existing path that extends all the way to Waterworks Park in Fairfield." Read more...
"The Granville Village Council chose to pare down the scope of an application it will make for state pathway funds.
"The council voted Wednesday to support "a letter of interest" to the Ohio Department of Transportation as a possible first step in receiving funding for a pathway on Burg Street. But a proposal to submit an initial application for funding for a bridge to Raccoon Valley Park failed on a tie 3-3 vote.
"Councilman Steve Mershon, who voted against the bridge application proposal, said the bridge would be a "huge structure" and lacked support from neighbors or respondents in a community survey performed last fall.
"At the end of the day, the village won't build it," he said. "Why spend time planning it?" He said he supports a proposal for much less expensive suspension bridge at the same location.
"The state's Transportation Enhancement Program could furnish up to 80 percent of the cost of both projects. The cost of the bridge is estimated at $1 million to $1.2 million and the Burg Street pathway at $1 million, according to a memo from the village staff to council members. Both projects were on a list of five pathway clusters in the village and Granville Township recommended by a citizens advisory committee in fall 2009." Read more...
"Time is running out for many local communities across the state to partner with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) on future projects aimed at better access for bicycle users and pedestrians.
"ODOT is currently accepting applications for its federally-funded Transportation Enhancement Program, which has invested nearly $182 million in pedestrian and bicycle projects across the state since the start of the program in 1992.
"Transportation Enhancement funds can also be used to improve downtown streetscapes, preserve historic transportation sites, beautify scenic locations, and establish transportation museums.
"With approximately $20 million in future funding available, ODOT's Transportation Enhancement Program targets the state's rural and suburban communities which are not currently served by a Metropolitan Planning Organizations - which have their own Transportation Enhancement efforts.
"Communities that are interested in the ODOT funds have less than two weeks left to apply. Letters of interest for Transportation Enhancement funding are due to the department by February 1." Read more...
"If you build it, they will come." That's what supporters of a proposed multi-use path are counting on.
"I look at this as another piece in the overall pedestrian puzzle," Pataskala Planning Director Diane Harris said.
"Harris on Jan. 12 invited residents to a workshop regarding the proposal, which entails building a multi-use path from Bright Waters subdivision west along sections of the Muddy Fork of the Licking River.
"The first phase would stretch 0.88 miles, or 3,400 linear feet, ending near Pataskala Ridge subdivision. Future phases could follow the river further west, ending just south of the City Administrative Offices on Broad Street and picking up again on Adams Lane and ending at Taylor Road.
"Harris has asked the city council to support an Ohio Department of Natural Resources grant application for the first phase, which is estimated to cost $239,652. The grant would cover $179,739." Read more...
"Although it will be some 18 months until completion, [Wooster] City Council wholeheartedly approved the first steps toward improving a stretch of road that would allow more students walking access to a local elementary school.
"Council approved a contract for a right of way survey on Melrose Drive, between Portage and Milltown roads, which will locate the centerline of the road, plat the properties and lay property pins before easements can be acquired.
"The city received a $500,000 Ohio Public Works Commission grant, which will fund roughly one-fourth of the work.
"...City Engineer Joel Montgomery estimated the total cost of the work, which will widen the roadway, in addition to adding curbs, gutters, sidewalks and a bicycle trail, to be around $2.1 million." Read more...
From the Tipp City City Council meeting notes:
"Grant monies allocated to assist in the construction of a recreational trail/bikeway to link parks within the City and bikeway to the Miami County bikeway. Council moved for the monies to be allocated for the project."
"The City of Marietta has again agreed to allow the River Valley Mountain Bike Association to continue our trail building projects throughout the city.
"In conjunction often with the Marietta Rowing and Cycling Club, RVMBA has began our newest addition which will be a connector trail from the High School trails up to Cisler Dr. and Jackson Park. This trail should be about 1 1/2 miles or a little more. Will gps it as soon as we get the corridor completed. There are also negotiations in the works to connect from Cisler Dr. down, through another section of forest, to connect to the Kris-Mar trails." Read more...
" The National Park Service is holding three open houses in February to get public input on trails in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The park service is seeking suggestions on trail needs for the next 15 years.
"Among the issues to be studied include possible new trails, connections from surrounding communities to the popular Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, the need to rebuild storm-damaged bridle trails in northern Summit County and the possibility of allowing mountain biking.
"The schedule is:
"At the meetings, park officials will outline the federal process, identify issues and gather ideas on the developing plan. The park will also accept public comment [at this link.] A newsletter on what's happening is also available there.
"Written comments can be submitted to Superintendent, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 15610 Vaughn Road, Brecksville, OH 44141. Comments will be accepted until March 1." Read more...
"A cyclist out for an early morning ride along the Rickenbacker Causeway died Sunday morning after being struck by a car.
"Police told CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald that it was a hit-and-run. Witnesses told police the motorist that struck the cyclist paused briefly and then took off with the mangled bicycle still attached to its grill.
"The accident happened on the Bear Cut Bridge just after 8 a.m. According to Miami police the cyclist was on the side of the road heading toward Key Biscayne when he was hit by the driver of a silver Volkswagen." Read more...
Here's an account by someone who says they witnessed the aftermath. [Caution: some graphic content.]
"Rails to Trails members and advocates consider building and maintaining a proposed Orrville to Clinton trail an ongoing process.
"Don Noble II, president of Rails to Trails in Wayne County, said he looks forward to offering landowners 50 percent easements and meeting with them one on one.
"Rails to Trails has considered using cement where farm equipment crosses the trail, he said. Welcoming no-trespassing signs from adjacent landowners, Noble said trail rules require users to avoid private property.
"Planning to secure public grants to fund trail construction, he said Rails to Trails purchased the abandoned Orrville to Clinton railroad corridor using private donations.
"Ted Short, Wayne County Rails to Trails vice president, said the nonprofit organization maintains trails using private funds since it does not use a county park district. Referring to the summer's Creston to Rittman trail project as an example, he said there were $300,000 in private donations, $1.7 million through the Ohio Department of Transportation and $400,000 from the Ohio Capital Fund." Read more...
"A 13-year-old boy reported that he was assaulted Friday evening as he was walking home on a bike trail in the North Sacramento area.
"The youth reported that three boys, about 16 or 17 years old, came up behind him on the trail near Sonoma and Altos avenues about 6:40 p.m., according to the Police Department's daily activity log. The three were described as African American all wearing black hoodies and wool caps with ear flaps.
"The reason for the attack was not known, according to the police report."
"IT IS not fair for the Ohio Turnpike Commission to charge passenger vehicles the same rate as commercial trucks just because a car or minivan has a bicycle or luggage rack strapped temporarily to its roof. A new height classification has gone into effect with new toll rates, and now passenger vehicles are charged the same fee as large trucks.
"If rooftop items on such vehicles measure 7 feet, 6 inches tall or higher, they automatically fall into a toll category meant for heavier two-axle trucks. When the turnpike installed its E-Z Pass system, it included a laser scanner to gauge the height of vehicles as they pass under an entrance gantry before they enter a toll lane.
"The laser makes no distinction between a two-axle truck and a car with bike racks that exceed the 7-foot, 6-inch height designation for a higher toll classification. That could hike the standard toll rate for a passenger car to cross the state from $15 to $25." Read more...
Read another editorial on this topic.
"Bikers and walkers were in accidents with vehicles 150 times on a 3-mile segment of High Street in a five-year period, making the busy strip the city's most crash-prone corridor for those who don't get around by auto.
"The bit of High Street that runs from Clintonville to the Short North can be a bear, a study from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission says. The agency looked at police reports from 2003 to 2007 to find the area's trouble spots.
"Roads along the Ohio State University campus and the Hilltop community on the West Side are the most troublesome. The five-year study, which is the first of this scale that MORPC has conducted, pinpoints both corridors and specific locations that are danger zones..." Read more...
"It's been 250 years since the French and Indian War, when George Washington, a young colonial officer, made his way from the eastern seaboard past the forks of the Ohio River, where Pittsburgh now stands. It was a dangerous journey and a miserable return trip—shot at by Indians, knocked off his raft into the icy Allegheny River—lasting 78 days.
"Today Washington's route (or close to it) has been tamed, turned into the 334-mile Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath–Great Allegheny Passage. Starting in Georgetown, the C&O–GAP rolls across Maryland and through Pennsylvania's Appalachian Mountains to create the longest unpaved bike path in the East. Yet unlike Washington, you won't be able to complete the tour no matter how warm the weather (or how nice the natives). The British are standing in the way." Read more...
"The process might be slow, but plans for a shared-use path along state Route 91 are still in motion.
"Willoughby and Willoughby Hills joined forces in an effort to build a path extending from Eastlake to Mayfield Village on the east side of SOM Center Road. That path would essentially connect Lake Erie to a popular part of the Cleveland Metroparks system for area cyclists, joggers and pedestrians.
"However, plans are still in the baby stages, Willoughby Mayor David Anderson said.
"Both cities have authorized their city engineers to do a preliminary study ... so we'd have a better idea of the cost," he said. Anderson added that the last he had heard from Willoughby Engineer Jim Sayles, the study was just about done." Read more...
"Medina City Council approved, on Monday night, the application for a grant that would partially fund a one-mile addition to the Roscoe Ewing bike trail, connecting it to downtown Medina.
"Under Phase 1 of the project, the current 1.3-mile-long trail would be extended across Guilford Boulevard through Nichols Park and then hook up to a Springbrook Drive sidewalk. Finally, the trail would link to a paved path that leads into downtown Medina at S. Broadway Street and E. Smith Road, a block from the square. Phase 1 of the project would cost the city of Medina approximately $600,000.
"With Monday’s affirmation, Medina officials will apply for a Clean Ohio Trail Grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which would fund approximately 80 percent of the Phase 1 of the project, up to $500,000. Medina would pay the remaining 20 percent, around $100,000 to $120,000." Read more...
"Though the recent snowfall has either covered or camouflaged them, new traffic signs have popped up around the village this fall and winter, meant to empower the bicyclists of the village. Just as subtle as their new regulatory markers, bicycles are a minority vehicle in the village that do their best to share the roads with everything from skateboarders and golf carts to Mack trucks and extra-wide loads. Still, bicycling advocates and traffic regulators hope that spreading the word about proper traffic procedures will help to improve safety and congeniality on village streets.
"Village Council’s goal to make Yellow Springs a more walkable and bikeable community prompted the Village Bicycle Enhancement Committee to take action on the signs this fall. The signs are a general reminder to drivers of both non-motorized and motorized vehicles that on roadways without a bike lane, bicyclists are encouraged to use the entire lane. As head of the bike committee and an avid bicyclist himself, Dan Carrigan is passionate about educating both bikers and motorized drivers of the laws that give bicyclists greater rights and responsibilities.
“As bicyclists, we’re being assertive,” he said. “The roads are a shared social network -— we all have a right to use them.” Read more...
The open practice of a bike "taking the lane" for safety is new to many in Ohio. Such as the officer that ticketed a Columbus cyclist for doing the same.
"How important is Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman’s vocal support of the city’s bike plan and his participation in cycling events like the annual Bike Week?
"The mayor’s enthusiasm for bikes has engendered a culture of ‘can do’ around him. When Columbus received a pot of federal Stimulus funds from the Department of Energy recently, its Parks and Recreation Department pushed for some of it to be used for downtown biking infrastructure. You see, Capital Crossroads, a special improvement district (SID) for downtown Columbus—similar to the Downtown Cleveland Alliance—had recently completed a right of way study for downtown streets which included a plan for improvements. The city will peel away $490,000 from their energy efficiency Stimulus funds so that Capital Crossroads can purchase bike racks, lockers and shelters for 300 bikes for downtown commuters.
“This comes on the heels of the city finalizing its Bicentennial Bikeway plan, which was a big deal not only for bike advocates but the mayor was personally invested,” says Marc Conte, a staffer at Capital Crossroads.
"The bike project will be first in a downtown beautification plan, which includes pedestrian and auto wayfinding signs, street benches and lighting." Read more...
Read another report on Columbus bikeway-friendly initiatives.
"The Ohio Department of Transportation has approved a $5.7 million grant to help fund the city’s long-planned bicycle trail.
"The original projected cost had been $3.5 million, but replacement of a bridge over the Mahoning River near Walnut Street had complicated the project and increased the figure, according to Mark Hess, engineering grant and development coordinator.
"We had no bidders when we advertised last year because of concerns about the the bridge, so ODOT adjusted the amount,” Hess said, adding that the funding should cover the entire cost. The coordinator said the city will advertise for bids next month, and he expects the path to be completed by summer 2011."
"If [Danbury] township's newest grant application is successful, Meadowbrook Marsh will soon get more than 3,800 feet of paved trails.
"We applied for a grant through the Recreational Trails Program in 2008," Danbury Township trustee Dianne Rozak said. Unfortunately, the township did not receive the grant. But this month Rozak said she will be preparing another grant application to a jointly funded RTP/Clean Ohio program. The RTP is funded by the federal government and the Clean Ohio Grant is funded by the state. Both programs are administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
"Rozak said the township's application will seek about $123,000 and offer $53,000 in matching funds. Before any other major improvements are made to the park, Rozak said she'd like to see this application approved. "My goal right now is to secure this last grant," she said. "That would give us about 7,000 feet of paved trails eight feet wide and (Americans with Disabilities Act)-accessible."
"Meadowbrook, now at 113 acres after several additions to the original 33 acres purchased in 2001, currently has about 3,000 feet of paved trails, in addition to unpaved mulch trails." Read more...
"Rail trail proponents were greatly disappointed to read a mostly negative article featuring two disgruntled rural residents in the Dec. 30 edition concerning trail planned for northeastern Wayne County.
"In fact, the headline read "Access Denied" [online Version offered different headline] to farmers; and, that was just not true. This former Norfolk-Southern railbed is a unique section of the Ohio to Erie Trail that may eventually be connected to the Holmes County Trail at Fredericksburg. These non-motorized trails not only bring economic development and positive images to "rail trail" communities, but create safe recreational areas for rural and urban families.
"Our local Rails to Trails organization fully understands the desires of local farmers to have continued "short-cut" access to fields, even if they established these routes on former railbeds that they did not own or have legal easement. Your readers should know that since our taking ownership in November, we had already contacted and listened to most of the farmers currently using the former railbed before that article appeared, including Mr. Douglass. In each case, we are prepared to negotiate easements that will allow continued field access with parallel driveway operations on up to half of the right-of-way width. We believe the right of ways are wide enough for doing this while still having a safe trail for non-motorized users on the other half." Read more...
"...Michael O’Shaughnessy as ticketed under Columbus Municipal Code 2173.04 for not riding his bike as far to the right side of roadway as possible. He was apparently riding his bicycle in the middle of the curb lane on High Street…."controling the lane" in a manner that he felt was warrented due to traffic, weather, and road conditions. It was 11:30 at night, rainy, and low-no traffic on southbound High St near Nationwide…where he was cited by police.
"He is being defended by Doug Morgan, who is on the Consider Biking Board of Directors. Assuming there are no other circumstances we’re aware of, the bicyclist’s behavior to protect himself and take a visible position….clearly falls within legal parameters. We feel that this court case will present an opportunity to educate cyclists, motorists, even the police force, regarding the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists." Learn more about the Jan. 14th court case.
"The Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association [in Columbus] wants ODOT to know residents still have concerns about plans to redesign the Interstate 70/Interstate 71 split.
"Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association President Mike Moore said ODOT made promises that it later went back on. Moore met Monday with a representative from ODOT to talk about how a redesign of the downtown split would affect people who live in the area.
"Moore said he has heard from people who want more greenery, walkways, bike lanes and caps over the highways. He said the meeting Monday is a good sign. “I think ODOT is still listening. We still think that ODOT will listen to what it is we are requesting on behalf of the residents of the area and hopefully, we’ll be able to work with ODOT to make these changes possible,“ he said.
"The split has long been a traffic headache for drivers as I-70 and I-71 join the same roadway and the[n] split again on either side of downtown Columbus.
"Moore said the meeting went well and he looks forward to working with ODOT. He said the meeting was positive, ODOT listened to the community’s concerns and there is still room to affect what is going on. “It paid off. They are willing to work with residents, businesses and city planners,“ he said."
See a video report of this article.
"Minneapolis is already one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, and there are ambitious plans in 2010 to nearly double the miles of on-street bike paths.
"By the end of 2009, the city had 44 miles of on-street bikeways and 84 miles of off-street bike paths. Plans for the 2010 construction season call for adding 35 additional miles of on-street bikeways.
"The U.S. Census Bureau says Minneapolis is a national leader in bike commuting, second only to Portland, Ore.
"In 2008, bike ridership in Minneapolis jumped 13 percent from the previous year, with nearly 8,200 people saying they commute to work by bicycle. That's 4.3 percent of all Minneapolis commuters."
"...The third phase will extend the paved pedestrian and biking trail from its current terminus at Fourth and Ohio streets to the north side of Duck Creek near the Comfort Inn and Wal-Mart complex.
"Funding for the $1.5 million project includes a $951,600 transportation enhancement grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation, an ODNR recreational trails grant for $150,000 and a total of $193,643 in Community Development Block Grant monies. Read more...
In a related story, other work scheduled for this coming year in Marietta includes installing bike racks along the trail as well as strategic community locations. Read more...
"The California physician, convicted of assaulting a pair of cyclists with his car, was sentenced to five years in prison at the close of a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday morning.
"Sixty-year-old Christopher Thomas Thompson, found guilty of six felonies and a misdemeanor, has been in custody since his conviction in November. Following an emotional two-hour hearing Superior Court Judge Scott T. Millington sentenced Thompson to two years on the charge of assaulting cyclists Ron Peterson and Christian Stoehr with a deadly weapon and added a three-year enhancement because Peterson suffered serious bodily harm. The remaining lesser charges also carry prison time, but those sentences will be served concurrently with Thompson’s five-year sentence.
"Prosecutors had asked that Thompson be sentenced to eight years for crimes mostly relating to a July 4, 2008 incident in which he abruptly stopped his car in front of the two riders descending Mandeville Canyon road, near Los Angeles. Thompson was also convicted of misdemeanor charges relating to a similar incident that occurred months earlier, but did not result in injuries. Read more...
"Licking Township residents opposed to construction of a bike path on land they claim to own lost in court for a second time Tuesday.
"A three-judge panel from Ohio's Fifth District Court of Appeals upheld Licking County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Marcelain's April 29 ruling that the Thomas J. Evans Foundation is sole owner of property proposed for a 6-mile bike path from Heath to Hebron.
"It is not known if the residents will appeal Tuesday's ruling any further.
"The foundation claims the residents lost any right to the land adjacent to their homes because they did not file a preservation notice for the 40 years before the foundation's July 6, 1984, purchase of 38 acres formerly known as the Midland Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
"The dispute between South Fork Road residents and the foundation reached a boiling point on July 30, 2008, when residents staged a sit-in on the bike path as Shelly Co. paving equipment moved within a quarter-mile of the protesters, crossing East Irving Wick Drive in Heath.
"Licking County Prosecutor Ken Oswalt filed a lawsuit against both the foundation and residents to get the issue resolved in court and prevent an altercation on the gravel path previously used for a scenic railroad." Read more and view a timeline of this dispute.
"The bikeway that was proposed between Bellbrook and Spring Valley late in 2008 is no longer actively being pursued by county officials, Greene County Parks Director Chrisbell Bednar said last week. The path would have connected Sackett-Wright Park in Bellbrook with the Little Miami Scenic Trail. However, it would have crossed mostly private property, and the landowners were opposed from the start.
“There was no way to make the project viable,” Bednar said. “We went to the property owners, and all of them, to a one, said ‘not on my property.’ And we have to respect that.”
"The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission ranked the $6 million bikeway as one of its projects recommended for federal funding, and Bednar said it will remain on MVRPC’s Thoroughfare Plan, but in an inactive status." Read more...
"...The [Toledo} metroparks has 161 volunteers from northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan in its trail patrol program, and it is holding informational meetings this month to try to attract more. All metroparks have some Volunteer Trail Patrol members, but there especially is a need at Pearson, Farnsworth/Providence, and Side Cut, said Lori Miller, metroparks coordinator of volunteer services.
"Patrol volunteers explain rules to visitors, impart information from naturalists, help spot trail trouble areas after storms, and perform other tasks as metropark usage grows, Ms. Miller said." Read more...
"In a measure Councilman Mike Buytendyk said "is what makes Wooster great," City Council gratefully accepted at $35,000 donation to build a handicap walking path at the new Oak Hill Park from Gene and Joan Buehler on Monday evening.
"Gene Buehler, who founded the chain of grocery stores in North and Central Ohio that shares his last name, said he and his wife were looking for ways to give back to the community.
"...Parks and Recreation manager Chuck Malta said the handicap trail will be constructed in a loop near the Rotary Pavilion, which was donated to the city from the Wooster Rotary Club in September. Malta said he hopes to include features conducive to handicap people, including the potential of Braille signage relating to the outdoors.
"...When completed, the park will have 1.7 miles of paved paths for walking, jogging or biking, as well as natural plantings designed for year-round color. The park's path will be able to be linked in to the other paths along the city's northern corridor to total nearly eight miles of walking and biking trails." Read more...
"The gray industrial landscape and parking lots on the west bank of the Flats, now edged with housing and nightclubs, could soon be crisscrossed with parks, trails and green spaces.
"The new "Flats Connections Plan," completed by the nonprofit organizations ParkWorks, Cleveland Public Art and Building Cleveland by Design, shows how an abandoned railway and the vacant strip under the Main Avenue Bridge could become playgrounds, bikeways and artificial wetlands.
"We think there's a huge opportunity to realize this in the short term," said Ann Zoller, director of ParkWorks. She said major elements of the proposal could be achieved within several years, despite the recent economic downturn and the sudden halt of major projects, including the $522 million Flats East Bank development.
"We think [the plan] is dynamic and wonderful and creates just the right kind of connections," said Jon Ratner, sustainability director for Forest City Enterprises, which has vacant industrial property along the proposed route on Scranton Road Peninsula. "I can't think of enough superlatives to describe the kind of park they're planning," he said." Read more...
Read a previous post on this subject.
"City Council's Community Development Committee approved an additional $23,000 for design of a bike path from the Heath City Waterpark to the Central Ohio Aerospace and Technology Center. The project, which might begin this year, was expected to cost $640,000, with the city's share at $155,000.
"Zoning Chief John Groff told the committee the Ohio Department of Transportation notified the city it would not be able to do the design work for the city, as previously planned. Most of the design work consists of an environmental study.
"The additional cost could be absorbed by Community Development and Parks department budgets, Groff said, but the council's action will ensure the project moves along without delay."
"More support from the Plain Dealer for a bike/ped path on the Innerbelt Bridge [in Cleveland]. Support from all corners of the community has emboldened the City Planning Commission, which will vote on a resolution of support this Friday. This is more than a symbolic gesture. The Planning Commission will appoint three committee members who will draft the RFQ for the bridge." Read more...
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