Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter March 2011

Dear Friends: It’s Tuesday15 March. I have some trail news for you. Please continue reading.

“"The Park District recently completed a Feasibility Study to determine whether the Little Miami Scenic Trail Extension should be located in the "Elstun Corridor" (which extends south between Elstun Road and the Little Miami River to the Magrish Preserve), or in the "Beechmont Corridor" (which extends west along Beechmont Avenue to the Armleder/Lunken Airport Trail). The purpose of the public meeting on March 1, 2011, is to present the findings of the Feasibility Study and to solicit public comments on the study recommendations.
Beechmont Corridor Alternatives
The Beechmont Corridor concept involves extension of the Little Miami Scenic Trail west across the Little Miami River to the Armleder/Lunken Trail system. Three alternatives were evaluated in this corridor including Alternative la (trail alignment and bridge on the north side of Beechmont Avenue with connector trail east to Elstun Road/Mount Washington), Alternative lb (trail alignment and bridge on the south side of Beechmont Avenue with connector trail east to Elstun Road/Mount Washington), and Alternative lbw (trail alignment and bridge on the south side of Beechmont Avenue with sidewalk connection to Elstun Road/ Mount Washington.
Elstun Corridor Alternatives
The Elstun Corridor concept involves extension of the Little Miami Scenic Trail south between Elstun Road and the Little Miami River to the Magrish Preserve. Five alternatives were evaluated including Alternative 2 (trail alignment along Elstun Road shoulder), Alternatives 3a and 3b (trail alignments located in the Little Miami River floodplain adjacent to Elstun Road), Alternative 4 (trail alignment located in the center of the Little Miami River floodplain), and Alternative 5 (trail alignment located in the Little Miami River floodplain and adjacent to the Little Miami River).
No Build Alternative
The No Build alternative involves leaving the existing and planned Little Miami Scenic Trail "as is" with no extension to the Ohio River Trail. Under this scenario, the Little Miami Scenic Trail extension from Newtown would terminate at the existing CRC parking lot/trailhead.
PRELIMINARY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE (1bw)
The Little Miami Scenic Trail Feasibility Study concluded that Alternative 1bw is the preliminary Preferred Alternative for the Little Miami Scenic Trail Extension project. This conclusion was based on consideration of flood potential, environmental impacts, engineering/utility constraints, construction costs, and 20-year operation/maintenance costs. The exhibits presented at tonight's meeting further describe the factors involved in identifying Alternative 1bw as the preliminary Preferred Alternative.

Comments can be submitted at the meeting or mailed to the Hamilton County Park District by March 16, 2011."

Go to: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/considerthisclermont/2011/02/09/little-miami-scenic-trail-extension-open-house-is-march-1/

A Thank You! to Mr. John Biederman for providing this information on the 1 March 2011 meeting.

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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