Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter February 2005

Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter
February 2005

It’s February 25, 2005 and it’s STILL WINTER! However Spring is coming! Yesterday on our walk through the neighborhood we saw some "Snowdrops!" So there is hope that Spring is coming.

Kettering Recreation Trail Renamed Iron Horse Trail
Last month I told you about the extension of what has been called the Kettering Recreation Trail south to where Research Blvd. becomes County Line Road. See the January 2005 article Kettering Recreation Trail Update. The trail is now 3.7 miles from the Creekside Recreation Trail to it's end. I have been informed that the trail has been renamed the Iron Horse Trail. The reason for this change is that the trail is planned to be extended South by the City of Kettering to below Delco Park into the City of Centerville. There it will connect with the existing 2.5 mile Iron Horse Trail just East of Manor Park. The existing trail is currently grass and dirt but can be ridden by mountain bikes. The City of Kettering is currently awaiting the announcement of the recipients of the Clean Ohio Recreation Fund. They have asked for funds to extend the trail another 2.5 miles to State Farm Park in Kettering. More on this as information is received. I will be adding a new Iron Horse Trail webpage to this site soon.
Prairie Grass Trail Receives Funding - We have been informed that Columbus MetroParks received $550,000 to continue construction of the Prairie Grass Trail. The funds are earmarked for the Camp Chase segment of the Ohio to Erie Trail. "The Camp Chase Rail Trail will pick up where the Prairie Grass Trail ends at Wilson Road in Madison County , and will eventually connect to the Battelle-Darby Creek Metro Park in Georgesville, and on to Columbus ." For more information see the Friends of Madison County Parks and Recreation Website article on this subject. "Madison County is very fortunate that Columbus Metro Parks has lobbied on our behalf for this funding. They will also coordinate the land acquisition and construction of this 3.5-mile segment of the trail from Wilson Road to the Madison County line near Olmsted Road . We thank them for their hard work, and look forward to the day when the connection is completed!" (Source FMCPT)

Research on my part shows that Camp Chase was once a Prisoner of War camp during the Civil War. Confederate POWs were kept her during the war. I have attempted to find if the "Camp Chase Rail Trail" right of way is the railroad that was used to transport POWs to the camp but have not yet been able to document my assertion. If there are any Civil War history buffs reading this, perhaps you can find out the facts for me.
Lebanon Countryside Trail Construction Continues - The construction of the Lebanon-Countryside YMCA Trail is progressing on schedule. The 8.2-mile trail, which began construction in August 2004, is 50% complete. Highlights of the first half of the construction include:
- Completion of the concrete deck on the bridge that spans the Little Miami River.
- New construction of a bridge crossing the Turtle Creek.
- Extensive grading and drainage activities.
- Pavement subgrade installed along 25% of the trail alignment
A realignment of the trail project is underway along Kingsview Drive . The original trail alignment proposed a shared roadway route along Kingsview Drive , which posed several safety concerns. The realignment project will construct a stand alone trail along Kingsview Drive with a bridge crossing over Turtle Creek. The trail will be complete by July with a grand opening event held on July 30th at 4:00 PM at the Countryside YMCA. (Source City of Lebanon)
Improvements and Changes to Website
- New Sponsors Page - I used to have the sponsors of my website mentioned at the bottom of the Home Page. But lately I've been adding to them so now they have their own page.
- Kettering Recreation Trail (Trail Renamed Iron Horse Trail) The 3.7 mile trail from the Creekside Recreation Trail (west end) to Kettering was completed late 2004. I have build a new page with photos.
- Prairie Grass Trail pages Update - I've completely revised this area of the website. I have separated the pages so that each section of the trail has its' own page with new photos and descriptions as follows:
  - Xenia to Cedarville Section This page is the basic page for the entire trail so there is additional information at the top of this page about the entire trail which is now open from Xenia Station to London , Ohio .
  - Cedarville to South Charleston Section - Revised with new pictures and descriptions.
  - South Charleston to London Section - Revised with some new pictures.
  - Central State Connector - I've removed this section from the first page and given it its' own page with new pictures and descriptions.
- Yellow Springs to Springfield Section of Little Miami Scenic Trail (Updated) I added new text descriptions and a lot of new pictures to this trail segment. I hope you enjoy them!
- Updated Tables on certain pages. For some time when I have updated a page, I have put all the information about the location of parking, water and restrooms available on that trail was all in one convenient table. Where possible have added links to any restaurant or bicycle shop that had facilities you could use. I have updated the:
Construction at I-70 and the Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Segment)
We have been informed that the contract to widen I-70 between the I-70 / I-75 intersection and Brand Pike (SR - 201) will be signed October 2005 with construction to begin immediately. The contract calls for the widening of I-70 from the current two lanes each way to three lanes in each direction. This will mean that the current bridges across the Great Miami River at Taylorsville MetroPark will be demolished and replaced with new three lane bridges. Ohio Department of Transportation and the contractor will attempt to keep the trail open when construction is not taking place on the bridges. But this means that the trail will be closed at least some of the time between 2006 and 2007.
Construction of new Washington Street Bridge over the Great Miami River Recreation Trail. - We've been told that the existing Washington Street Bridge over the trail will be replaced in 2006. The Washington Street Bridge is over the Great Miami River just North of the US-35 bridge over the river. At this time we do not have any information about planned detours during construction. We will provide you with more information about this planned construction as it becomes available.
Ohio “Share the Road” License Plates (Update)
"The Ohio Bicycle Federation proposal for a special Ohio auto license plate featuring a bicyclist and the words "Share the Road" across the bottom has finally been approved by the legislature and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. In addition to raising awareness of the need to "Share the Road" between motorists and bicyclists, the sale of these plates would raise funds designated for the Ohio Department of Public Safety to continue publication of the "Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts” booklet. Five dollars of the $15 surcharge would be used for the booklets, while the remaining $10 are for BMV expenses. The plates will go on sale on March 23. Motorists renewing their plates may order these plates for the $15 surcharge over the usual renewal costs. If you have already renewed for the year, you can still order the special plates for $18.50, including a $3.50 handling charge. The next challenge will be purchasing and encouraging others to purchase at least 1,000 plates per year in order for the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles to continue offering the plates. See the design at the OBF website: http://www.ohiobike.org/ or Ohio BMV: http://www.oplates.com/ " (Reprinted with permission from OKI Newsletter)
Construction on Little Miami Scenic Trail South of Milford
"A recent field trip out Wooster Pike found a new trailhead at Avoca Park with restroom facilities and a parking lot, about one mile east of Newtown Rd. This is part of the Hamilton County Park District’s portion of the trail which will connect to it’s Little Miami Golf Center this year. This trail is nearly complete to the new bridges over the Little Miami River next to Newtown Rd. which are also completed and paved. An enlarged parking lot at the golf Center is also under construction. Plans for constructing the section of the trail connecting Avoca Park and the Milford trailhead through Terrace Park are to be implemented this fall." (Reprinted with permission of OKI)

I plan to update my webpage with new information about construction South of Milford is going now. I've already gotten new pictures of the area from two of my readers' Mike Mueller and Dave Dumbacher. Once I get information from the Hamilton County Parks Department I'll update the page
Miami Valley RailTrails ScreenSaver (Free) (Repeat)
There are almost 900 images on the Miami Valley RailTrails website and I have taken thousands of photos of our Miami Valley trails in the eight years that this website has been in existence. I thought I would share some of them with you in the form of a free ScreenSaver. You can download it free from http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/screensaver.htm The page has downloading and installation instructions along with help. The screensaver is a form of a “Thank You” to all of my loyal readers. Download it and:

“Enjoy Our Magnificent Miami Valley Trail System”

Regards to all,

Thomas J. Recktenwalt
Webmaster
Miami Valley RailTrails
http://www.miamivalleytrails.org

If you find these newsletters and my Miami Valley RailTrails website of use to you, please pass the information on to your friends and neighbors who might enjoy our wonderful system of multi-use trails in Southwest Ohio. They are wonderful for walking, running, roller-bladeing, birding and cycling and in some cases horseback riding. You see more wildlife from one of our trails than most anyplace else. All of my newsletters are posted to my website at the same time I send you this text version. The URL for your use is: http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/join_our_mailing_list.htm

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