Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter January 2005

Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter
January 2005

It’s January 28, 2005 and it’s STILL WINTER! However it’s time to go over your bikes and get them ready for Spring riding. I know that some of you cycle all Winter but I am not one of those people. Also many of you repair and recondition their bicycles themselves. I take my bicycles to a shop and let them tune them up for use. I plan to learn about bicycle maintenance sometime. If someone has information on where I (and others like me) can get training in bicycle maintenance I’ll pass the tip on in a subsequent newsletter.

Promotional License Plates

Chuck Smith, President of the Ohio Bicycle Federation, reported that the Ohio legislature has passed a bill which would create a special Ohio auto license plate featuring a bicyclist and the words "Share the Road" across the bottom. 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 is for BMV expenses. The bicycle safety license plate has been a Federation project for the past five years. The bill was signed by Governor Taft on Dec. 21. The challenge will next be one of purchasing and encouraging others to purchase at least 1,000 plates per year in order for the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles to continue making the plates. Watch the OBF site to see how to buy your new plates and help cycling. They go on sale March 2005. See their website for more information: http://www.ohiobike.org/

Mad River Recreation Trail Construction

I have been told that construction to replace the bridge over the trail at Findlay Street will begin January 2005 and last until June 2006. Bicycle traffic will be maintained but will be detoured up to Monument Street and then back down to the trail past Findlay Street. Detour signs will be placed on the trail for your use.
Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Segment) Construction

There is a 1.4 mile extension to the trail planned to be accomplished late in 2005. The construction will start at the current Northern terminus of the trail at the historic village of Tadmore which is within Taylorsville MetroPark North of the dam. The trail will continue North to the park’s Northern boundary at Old Springfield Road.
http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/taylors.htm

Three County Recreational Trail from Fairborn to Enon

This is the trail that is being planned to start at Eastwood MetroPark and travel Northeast through Huffman MetroPark and Fairborn ending in the Village of Enon a distance of 15.1 miles. The trail will go through Montgomery, Greene and Clark counties so it is being call the “Three County Recreational Trail.” This is a pro-forma name for the applications.

The trail will run on the abandoned Norfolk Southern right-of-way from Eastwood MetroPark where it will connect with the existing Mad River Recreation Trail that connects West to downtown Dayton and the Creekside Recreation Trail that runs East to Xenia Station. The Clark County/Springfield Transpiration Coordinating Committee; TCC and National Trail Parks and Recreation District are working with Five Rivers MetroParks and the Greene County Park District on acquiring the abandoned railroad right-of-way
Trail Planning from New Carlisle to Springfield

There is a trail being planned that would run East from the City of New Carlisle to Springfield and connect at the West end of the Buck Creek Trail. It is hoped that the trail could connect to Tecumseh High School. This would make commuting to school for the students of safer. The Clark County/Springfield Transpiration Coordinating Committee; TCC and the City of New Carlisle are working on the plan for such a trail. Since no property has been acquired as yet, this trail, which is yet unnamed, should be considered a long range objective of Clark County.
Mad River Recreation Trail (North Bank)

A new .5 mile trail was built by the City of Dayton with the assistance of the Miami Conservancy District and partial funding by NatureWorks. The new trail starts at Point Park which is just North of the Keowee Street Bridge over the Mad River at Valley Street. The trail goes down the bank to the river level on the North bank of the river and travels about .5 mile to Webster Street. At its end it is on the top of the levee so that it connects to Deeds Park at Deeds Point. All that remains to be done in Spring 2005 is some final grading and seeding. I am informed that this trail segment is intended to connect the North Dayton neighborhood to the overall trail system.
Trail Planning from New Carlisle to Miami County at Bethel Township

Another long range plan is to develop a trail from New Carlisle West to Miami County at Bethel Township. This trail would connect to Section 2 of the Great Miami River Recreation Trail in Miami County.

The Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Miami County) is planned to be the North-South connector for the entire Miami County. Section 2 of this trail will be built in 2005 and will run from Dye Mill Road (South) to the Old Power Plant just South of Troy (North). The planned trail from Clark County would presumably intersect with Section 2 just after crossing State Route 202 at the “Big 4” Railroad Bridge.
http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/GRMRT%20-%20Section%202.htm .

Little Miami Scenic Trail Update in Springfield
News has been received that Clark County is in process of acquiring land in order to connect the Simon Kenton Trail to the Little Miami Scenic Trail South of Center and Jefferson Streets in Springfield. As most of you know the Little Miami Scenic Trail ends just South of Interstate 70. From there the user going North must use a combination of streets and small trail segments to get through Springfield to reach the Buck Creek Trail and Simon Kenton Trails. Once land is acquired and funding is approved the Little Miami Scenic Trail will extend to downtown Springfield at Center and Jefferson Streets.
Simon Kenton Trail Phase IV Construction
The much anticipated extension of the Simon Kenton Trail South from where it intersects with the Buck Creek Trail is on contract. Construction of this 2 mile trail extension South to Center and Jefferson Streets will start in mid March and is planned to be completed by the end of June 2005. South of Center and Jefferson Streets the trail will be known as the Little Miami Scenic Trail. Plans for the extension of the Little Miami Scenic Trail South of Jefferson Street were reported above.
Sewer Construction on Simon Kenton Trail North of Springfield
Construction of an “interceptor sewer line” that will cross the Simon Kenton Trail will start in March of 2005. It will cross the trail three times in the vicinity of State Route 334 and the trail. Going from South to North the trail will be crossed first at the just past the farm crossing North of St. Rt. 334, the second will be at the Trail RR crossing just South of Tremont City Road and then again just North of Tremont City Road. Construction will continue most of the Summer but I am told that except for those three crossings and the occasional piece of equipment cyclists and walkers should have no problems. Roller bladders will be the most effected users. Signs will be posted at both ends of the trail to remind users of the construction.
Buck Creek Trail Extension News
I reported last Fall 2004 on the construction of a 2.66 mile extension of the Buck Creek Trail East to Buck Creek State Park. See my October 2004 Newsletter (link above) for more details. The trail will be finished and open for use this Summer 2005.
Iron Horse Trail Update
The spur to the South of the Creekside Recreation Trail now called the Iron Horse Trail has been extended to the South. This trail used to end at Woodbine Avenue. The trail has been lengthened two miles for about $1M .The trail now crosses Woodman Drive between Rainer Road and the root beer stand. There is no traffic light at the crossing but there is an island to help you cross Woodman Drive. The trail continues to Spaulding Road where an existing City of Kettering trail continues.7 miles to take the trail into Kettering. The trail now ends where Research Blvd becomes County Line Road.
Miami Valley RailTrails ScreenSaver (Free)
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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