Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter July 2007

Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter
July 2007

It’s Tuesday 17 July 2007. The "T-Connector" in Fairborn was dedicated 25 June More about "T-Connector" below. Here is the news about trails in the Miami Valley. Please read on.

Trail Construction and Improvements.	Website Changes and Improvements
Photos & Information Wanted Section	Did You Know Department
Announcements of Upcoming Cycling Events

Trail Construction and Improvements

Xenia-Jamestown Connector Grows – Last month I told you about the planned 4.3 miles of new trail in Greene County from Jamestown East to the Fayette County line that will be built this year (2007). I spoke to several sources in Fayette County about their plans. The Tri-County Triangle Trail is a trail to be built in Fayette, Ross and Highland County. Plans are to finish the connection from Washington Courthouse (Fayette County) Southeast to Chillicothe (Ross County), from Chillicothe West to Greenfield (Highland County) and from Greenfield North back to Washington Courthouse in Fayette County). Plans for this year are to build as much trail as possible with the current $100K grant to connect Washington Court House to Chillicothe. They have about 20 miles of trail completed with several gaps. If this is too confusing to understand then "Click Here" to see a map from their website. I was told that construction West from Washington Courthouse West to the Fayette County line (about 15 miles) in order to connect with the Xenia-Jamestown Connector trail in Greene County being built this year is a secondary priority that will be completed in three to five years.

Trail Plans Continue for Bellbrook to Spring Valley Trail – As some of you know, the Greene County Parks Department got funding to plan for a trail along SR-725 from Bellbrook East to the Little Miami Scenic Trail at Spring Valley. I was asked by Mr. Jim Schneider of the parks department if there had been an “Interurban” railroad in the area? An “Interurban” or “Traction Line” was an independent railroad running on its own tracks that connected cities together with passenger service only. I agreed to do some research for Mr. Schneider. I found that indeed there was an Interurban line in the area. It was the Dayton & Xenia Traction Line. It ran from Third Street in downtown Dayton through Belmont, Beavertown (now Beavercreek) Bellbrook and Spring Valley. (add timetable here). I want to thank the Spring Valley Body Shop and their employees Brenda Fuller and Tina for getting me the timetable you see here at right. I am still looking for the location of the old station in Spring Valley. If anyone has any information, please contact me.

Please click on photo for larger image

Trail Construction South of Taylorsville MetroPark – As many of you know there has been a trail existing through Taylorsville MetroPark (7 miles of trail) for several years. It is called the “Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Segment) and it runs North alongside Wagoner Ford Road near Needmore Road past the Huber Heights Soccer Fields, under I-70, through the MetroPark and North to old Springfield Street. I have been told that the 7.5 miles of trail from the South end of the existing trail to Triangle Park in downtown Dayton, will be completed by next Summer; 2008. You can read about it in Ken McCall’s “Get Out” article of 6 July 2007 where he interviewed Ms. Carrie Scarff, deputy director of Five Rivers MetroParks.

Website Changes and Improvements

New Three Counties Trail Must Be Completed Page – I added a page to the website last month to encourage my readers to write their elected officials in support of getting this trail completed. I am also briefing this idea to local governments to enlist their support. If you haven’t looked at the page, please do so and send a letter (not an email – they don’t read them) to your U.S. Senator, Congressman and Ohio representatives.
I-675 Crossing Page Improved – I’ve added about a dozen new pictures to this page which I took a week or so ago. The images help to explain the route of the trail from Commons Blvd. next to the Fairfield Commons Mall, the new bridge over I-675 and the connection via Center Park Drive through the Fairborn Executive Center across Col Glenn Hwy to Wright State University. Eventually, the trail may continue across the Wright State University Campus to the Wright Brothers Bikeway alongside Kauffman Avenue.
New BikeRadar.com Trail Maps on Little Miami Scenic Trail home page – I have added a map from BikeRadar.com to the home page of the Little Miami Scenic Trail. I have added it to see if it will help my users get a “feel” for a trail’s geographic layout. It has already been renamed as http://www.bikeradar.com . I’m looking into adding some more BikeRadar maps to the website. Unfortunately, the website does not seem to be able to accept GPS data so that the mileages are slightly wrong.

Photos & Information Wanted Department

Images of the Trail in Hamilton, Ohio - I know that there are about five miles of trail on the river in the vicinity of Hamilton. This trail now called the Great Miami River Recreation Trail (in Warren & Butler Counties) will connect North eventually to meet the trail being built South from Dayton. If someone who lives in that area could photograph this section of trail and send me photos and descriptions of the photos, I would appreciate it. The link above is to Yahoo Maps. You can see a trail on the North bank of the Great Miami River in downtown Hamilton. That's where I want pictures from.
Photos and Information Wanted Department - (Repeat) I have changed the name of this area of the newsletter this month. I will be asking my readers not only for photographs, but information about trails. For this month, I am asking you;
- QUESTION?: Does anyone have more information on the availability of restrooms and water on the Simon Kenton Trail? I attended the dedication of the coffee shop in the Urbana Station recently. As far as I know, there are no restrooms or water on the trail except at the Heritage Center in downtown Springfield and the Urbana Station.

Did you Know Department?

Miami Valley RailTrails is mentioned in the Dayton Daily News “Get Out” column I told you about my campaign to get citizens to write their elected officials in support of the Three Counties Trail (above and last month). Ken McCall, author of the column “Get Out” was kind enough to mention my campaign in his Friday 6 July, 2007 column which was titled "Ken McCall: One Trail Gained, another taken away." . Perhaps more Dayton citizens will write their Senators and Congressmen supporting the Three Counties Trail.

Announcements of Upcoming Events

I’ve added several events to my Events Page recently. Take a look and you may be find something of interest to you.
Out of Town Events - I've added some cycling events that are out of town to the Events Page for your reading pleasure

Also See Upcoming Events Page

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 Miami Valley Trails System, the wonderful system of multi-use trails in Southwest Ohio. Then they can write me and get on the mailing list to get their own copy of this newsletter. Our trail system is wonderful for walking, running, in-line skating, birding, fishing and cycling and on some trails 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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For more information on each Web Page or Trail click on its name.

Clark County Trails | Buck Creek Trail | Simon Kenton Trail | Prairie Grass Trail |
| The Tecumseh Trail |

Greene County Trails Creekside Trail | Prairie Grass Trail | Little Miami Scenic Trail | T-Connector |
| Wright Brothers' Bikeway | Xenia-Jamestown Connector | Xenia Station | I-675 Crossing |

Montgomery County Trails Creekside Recreation Trail | Great Miami River Recreation Trail |
Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Segment) | Mad River Recreation Trail |
| Stillwater River Recreation Trail | Stewart St. Bikeway | Iron Horse Trail |
| The Great Miami River Recreation Trail [GMRRT] in Warren & Butler Counties |
| Wolf Creek Recreation Trail |

Miami County Trails Trails in Miami County |Section 1 | Section 2 | Piqua Activities Trail For Health |
| Canal Run | The River's Edge | Troy Bike Trail | Section 5 | Tipp City Trail

Warren County Trails| Lebanon Countryside Trail |
| The Great Miami River Recreation Trail (GMRRT in Warren & Butler Counties | Little Miami Scenic Trail |

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