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Review

A new section of the NCIT has been opened in Sandusky County. It extends from Fremont to Lindsey to Elmore, Ohio in Ottawa County, a distance of 10.5 miles. It is separate from the older, existing section that runs from the eastside of Fremont to Clyde, Ohio.

Robert Soper reports on the new section that continues westward from Walter Avenue in Fremont. This new segment lies approximately 2 1/2 miles west of the Hayes Street end of the older Clyde to Fremont section reviewed here.

This review covers the North Coast Inland Trail that extends from Fremont to Clyde. This bikeway was first constructed in September '97. The path utilizes an abandoned rail corridor that parallels active rail lines that lay 30-40 yards to the north. A natural barrier of vegetation and a drainage gully often separate the two.

Utility poles share the trail on one side and 'Adopt-a-Trail' signs can be found all along the route. This concept is growing in popularity and is put into good practive here in Sandusky County.

Like its eastern counterpart, the Lorain County section, this bikeway travels in a straight line. There are some curves to break the monotony as you approach the city of Clyde. The scenery along the trail also changes a bit from thick vegetation and trees that obscure the view of nearby country, to more sparsely bordered sections that reveal crop fields and an occasional orchard.

Previously the trail ended at the spur to Biggs-Kettner Park in Fremont. It has since been extended about a mile further into the city and now offers a downtown connector along the Sandusky River. This extension was no small feat as it includes a number of over-street bridges as well as a major river crossing on the old rail trestles. No expense was spared on construction as the bridge decks feature solid concrete with curbs and fencing.

Finding a place for the trail was certainly easier than financing the build. The former rail bed rises to form its own ridge as it crosses the river and moves into town. The ridge and trail come to an end at the current western endpoint of the trail along Hayes Street near Park Avenue. Here the N.C.I.T. faces the challenge of finding a way to continue on through a thick residential area that may have encroached a bit on the orignial corridor.

Trail maintenance may be a bit lax in some spots. We encountered a short section in Clyde where vegetation had grown through chain link fencing effectively taking over half the trail's width at one location. It may just have been a curious anomaly since the bikeway elsewhere in Clyde was very nice. Particularly in the gazebo area.

The Fremont portion of the bikeway is in excellent condition. However, some outlying segments are showing their age in areas where numerous cracks and faded seal coating can be found. One curious condition that caught our attention is what looks like the erosion of the 'crust' of the asphalt surface, particularly along the edge in a number of places. There are also subtle signs of linear scarring here and there. We can only guess as to what may have caused this since it's nothing we're accustomed to seeing on Ohio bikeways. Perhaps it's the result of illegal snowmobiling or other improper use of vehicles on the trail. We're just guessing here.

But there are a couple of short sections within these areas that have received a thin topcoat of asphalt and are in very good to excellent condition. So some improvements have been done to address the deteriorating surface. To be fair, we need to point out that economic factors often rule the day when it comes to major bikeway improvements such as resurfacing. Often it's simply not in the budget of the local trail overseers. And, perhaps most importantly, we need to point out that the trail is still in good to excellent condition. So there's no crisis here, just aging surface sections. So don't worry, you can still bring that skinny tire road bike out to enjoy it!

Check out the other NCIT sections.

Trail Specs:

Elmore Lindsey Fremont Clyde

Bob Soper adds that there are restrooms and water available at the park (in season) on Main Street in Lindsey.

Bob Soper writes, "When you get to State Route 590 (in Lindsey) and go a block to the right off the trail there is a place to buy sandwiches, etc. It looks like a convenience store."

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