Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter May 2011

Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter
May 2011

Dear Friends: It’s Sunday 15 May and I have some trail news for you. Please continue reading.

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

Trail Construction and Improvements

Proposed Construction on the Creekside Trail - The Ohio Department of Transportation is planning construction on the Creekside Trail where it goes under Woodman Drive in Beavercreek. They plan to replace the bridge at Woodman about the year 2015. They are seeking comments which can be made to until 31 May 2011. Please see their Press Announcement Here or above and respond to Ms. Tricia Bishop

Buck Creek Trail Closed Near Navistar - I was informed that because of recent flooding, the trail has been closed. The National Trails Parks and Recreation Department released the following statement:

"The trail damage as a result of the ongoing flooding by the Navistar section of the Buck Creek Trail is bad and it is not safe for use in it's current condition. As a result we will have to sign the trail closed between Belmont and Pumphouse, we will put a trail/road close ahead at Belmont, but you not be able to get thru to Belmont. We will work on a solution, but it will be challenging and costly. According to maintenance, the fencing, retaining walls and sinking of trail are some of the issues" - NTPRD

Trail Damage on Great Miami River Recreation Trail in Middletown - I was informed by one of Tom's Spies; Mr. Jim Miller of Hamilton, Ohio of the trail damage near Bicentennial Commons in Middletown. He states:

Went last night to ride the Middletown trail for the first time this year and found that it is pretty much destroyed and impassible from
Central Avenue at Bicentennial Commons south 1.5 miles to the old railroad bridge. The pavement is broken up and has large cracks
(large enough to swallow a bike tire!) in many, many places and in others it is covered with large debris from the river.

A large metal sewer pipe has been laid across the path at one point connecting something on the levee to a manhole west of the path. In
other places heavy machinery has rutted the path with ruts over a foot deep.

There has been information in the newspaper of a sewer main repair immediately south of Bicentennial Commons that is in progress but I do
not know if the damaged sections further south are going to be repaired as part of that project. I've been unable to find anything in
Google that tells the progress of either the repair of the sewer or the repair of the trail.
..just thought I'd let you know!

--Jim Miller
Hamilton, OH

When I hear more about this trail break, I'll let you know

Trail Construction News in Miami County
- Great Miami River Recreation Trail in Miami County - All sections are on schedule to be completed this Summer except the bridge over the Great Miami River at Farrington Road caused by the environment concerns about the Rayed Bean Mussel in the area. See my January 2011 newsletter for more detail on this delay.
  - A temporary route from the I-75 Bridge to the Piqua Materials connection on Peterson Road will be worked out to provide a safe route to all users.
  - Miami County Trails Committee reports that: " When the southern sections are opened we anticipate a big increase in users. We have been encouraging the cities along the way to start planning to service the visitors."
- Ohio To Indiana Trail
  - Piqua West to Union City - Work is ongoing to the trail West from Piqua to Union City Indiana. The Miami Count Trails Committee has been working closely with the Darke County Parks Department in getting plans written.
  - Piqua East to Urbana (Champaign County) - Previously the trail West from Piqua was marked on the roads by members of the Miami County Trails Committee. The marked trail East from Piqua to Urbana will be completed by May 2011.

Website Changes and Improvements

None this month

Photos & Information Wanted Department

None this month

Did you Know Department?

MVRPC Miami Valley Trails Map is Now Available - I reported previously that MVRPC was about to make available to the public the 2011 version of the Miami Valley Trails Map. Click Here or on the link above to get one mailed to you free. I want to report that the Miami County Trails Committee reported recently that they had purchased 75,000 of the maps and had already distributed 70,000 of them to public organizations and locations. This was made possible by a grant from The Troy Foundation. Thanks Troy Foundation!
Life Enrichment Center Provides Free Yellow Bikes for Public's Use in Dayton- A grant from the UPS Foundation has allowed the Life Enrichment Center of Dayton to provide bicycles for free use in downtown Dayton. They were introduced at Urban Nights held in Dayton on Friday, May 13, 2011. The bikes will be available for your use at the following locations:
For more information about the free Yellow Bikes, please see this You Tube Video. This initiative will help Dayton become a more Bike Friendly City.

Announcements of Upcoming Events

See Upcoming Events Area

2011 Five Rivers MetroParks "Bike To Work Day" - As is customary, Five Rivers MetroParks will hold their annual "Bike To Work Day" Pancake Breakfast at Riverscape for 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM. Please Click Here or above for more information about all the events.
Miami Valley Cycling Summit 20 May 2011 - The 2011 Miami Valley Cycling Summit, will be held on May 20th from 10-4:30 at the Kroc Center in Dayton. There will be at least 10 organizations at the table this year from across the Miami Valley. Come and see how the power of cycling drives economic development in communities both large and small! The Miami Valley Cycling Summit will bring together nearly 400 cycling enthusiasts from across the Miami Valley, the state, and the nation. See their Website Here (or above)
Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure (GOBA) - (18 - 25 June) - GOBA will be in London, Ohio 22 & 23 June, 2011. They are looking for volunteers to help support GOBA
.
Bob Rides Schedule - ( All Summer) The Springfield group has a series of rides every week on Tuesday and Thursday nights as well as a number of other rides all Summer. Click Here or above to see the entire schedule.

Webpage Of The Month

Every month in this portion of my newsletter, I link to one webpage (or the beginning page of a group of webpages that refer to one trail) in this space. I do this so that my readers, who may not have ever seen that webpage get an opportunity to find it (and perhaps find some use of it).

Ohio To Indiana Trail Page is this month's Webpage Of The Month. Plans are being made to improve the trail from Piqua East to Urbana (Champaign County) and West to Union City, Indiana.

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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