This page is a historical record of the
construction of trails in the Miami Valley, year by year. On this page I am
taking all of
the information that I have provided month by month to you via my MVRT
Monthly Newsletters and my Bike Miami Valley Newsletters as well as
information provided by Greene and Clark county parks departments, the Miami
Conservancy District and the Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI).
This page will serve as
the historical record of the development and progress of what I have begun
to call the:
Here I will place the trail sections that are planned
to be built this year (2010). Then as they are built I will add them to the
totals above.
Tecumseh Trail (New
Carlisle) in Clark County - About two miles in Phase I. Trail runs
from New Carlisle Elementary School South through the neighborhood to join
the new construction. The new trail runs South through Brubaker and Smith
Parks, joins an old interurban railbed and ends at Wat-A-Dog on SR-235
Gettysburg
to near Bradford (Darke County) - Darke County Parks has finished
this 1.8 miles of new trail from North Bridge Street
in Gettysburg to near Bradford. Eventually , the trail will connect Darke County West to Indiana using the
Union City Gateway and East to Miami County (Piqua) and Champaign County
(Urbana). The construction is a part of the Ohio
To Indiana Trail.
Taylorsville MetroPark North to Thomas Kyle Park
(Tipp City) - This 2.5 mile section will be built from
Taylorsville MetroPark in Montgomery County to Kyle Park in Miami
County. The construction started in 2010 and should be complete by 30
June 2011
Lytle Road (Troy) North to Eldean Road - Miami County Parks Department got a $250K grant from the Duke Foundation to help build this trail section. They have asked for an additional $250K from the Ohio Recreation Trails Fund. If funding is received, construction should start this year.
Piqua South to Peterson Road - There is a stream running across the end of the trail just before it gets to Peterson Road. Miami County Parks Department plans to finish this
30 foot of trail this year.
Prairie Grass Trail (AKA Ohio to Erie Trail) - This 6
mile section starts at Wilson Road, East of London, (the current end of
trail), runs through the town of Lily Chapel, crosses into Franklin County
and goes through the town of Georgesville to end at Kropp Road.
Peterson Road South to Eldean Road (2.5 miles,
when completed) 1.99 miles completed in 2009.
Piqua - Lock 9 Park South to Peterson Road 3.0
miles - Completed July 2009
Eldean Road to Lytle Road (To be completed in
2010)
Kyle Park (Tipp City) to Southern Park boundary
.28 miles built 2009
Kyle Park to Taylorsville MetroPark (Northern
border of Montgomery County) - (To be completed in 2010)
Union City Gateway
- Dedicated June 2009 this one mile section of trail connects Union City
Ohio to Union City Indiana.
Iron Horse Trail
(Centerville) - An additional .40 mile of trail was completed
from Iron Horse Trail South to I-675. Trail now 1.88 miles long.
Iron Horse Trail (Kettering)
- A 1.2 mile extension from the city border with Centerville was
built to the intersection of Stroop Road and Wilmington Pike. The trail
in Kettering will consist of a one mile segment and a existing 5.4 mile trail from State
Farm Park North to the Creekside Trail.
Xenia Jamestown Connector
- 4.3 miles of trail from Jamestown East to the Fayette County line. Trail
is now 12 miles long. To be completely finished from Jasper Road
Northeast to Xenia Station in 2011.
Prairie Grass Trail -
The trail had been paved in crushed stone from Maple Road East to Wilson
Road in 2005. In Fall 2007 the 6.5 miles of trail was finally paved in
Asphalt and dedicated 1 December 2007.
Troy City Trail (Nominal
Name) - The City of Troy replaced the trail that ran along the levee from
North Market Street to Adams Street, with a one mile trail that runs along
the Great Miami River level.
Ellis
Park Spur - .32 miles, Little Miami Scenic Trail to Ellis
Park.
Little Miami Scenic Trail - Construction South from Milford to Avoca
Dedicated 10 June 2006 - 4.4 miles.
Great Miami
River Recreation Trail - Crains Run Nature Park to Franklin - 3.7
miles, Miami Conservancy District built this section of trail.
Great Miami River Recreation Trail
- (Butler County) - 3.5 miles of trail were built from Bicentennial Park
South to State Route 73. City of Middletown built this section.
Xenia - Jamestown Connector
- In June 2005 an additional 6.65 miles of trail was added from Frank Seaman
Park in Jamestown Northwest to Jasper Road (Southeast of Xenia). The trail from Xenia Station to
Jasper Road will be built in 2011.
Great Miami River Recreation Trail
- The trail was
extended from Crains Run MetroPark (later re-named Crains Run Nature Park)
3.2 miles to just Baxter Drive just South of Franklin.
Prairie Grass Trail
(AKA Ohio To Erie Trail) - The trail from Maple Street in London East 6.5
miles to Wilson Road (two miles from Franklin County line) was paved in
crushed limestone. [Note: The trail was paved with asphalt in Fall
2007].
Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Section) -
This trail that ran through Taylorsville MetroPark was extended 1.4 miles
from the old town of Tadmore to
the park's Northern terminus at Old Springfield Street.
Lebanon
Countryside Trail - The 8.2 miles of trail from downtown Lebanon
South to meet with the Little Miami Scenic Trail was
dedicated on 1 October, 2005.
Tipp City Trail Construction
-
A one mile trail extension from Canal Lock Park North to City Park on North 3rd
Street.
Iron Horse Trail Extended
- a 2.0 mile extension was built and the trail crosses Woodman Drive and
extends South to Spaulding Road. [Note: This trail was previously called the
"Kettering Trail."
Prairie Grass Trail -
The 10.4 miles section of trail from South Charleston to London was
completed in June 2004.
Simon Kenton Trail -
SR55 to Urbana YMCA. The trail was dedicated at the Urbana Station
(purchased by the Simon Kenton Pathfinders) on October 14, 2005 adding
another 5.2 miles to the Simon Kenton Trail and finishing it to
Urbana.
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Connector - A new bridge at Wesleyan MetroPark connected the two
parts of the park together and made it possible to extend the Wolf Creek
Recreation Trail ( The Paul Laurence Dunbar
Connector is a part of the Wolf Creek Trail)
Northwest to connect with the existing trail that ends at Trotwood.
Buck Creek Trail Extension
- The trail was extended 2.66 miles from the old railroad bridge in Old Reid
Park to Buck Creek State Park.
New Bridge from RiverScape to
Deeds Point - The new bridge connected the Mad River Recreation
Trail & Great Miami River Recreation Trail to the trail on the East bank
of the Great Miami and runs North to Island MetroPark.
Tri-County
Triangle Trail - Construction of 8.5 miles of trail from Adena
School Complex to Frankfort continuing towards Chillicothe where it ends at
Sulfur Lick Road.
Simon Kenton Trail -
Construction started from Villa Road the end of what had been called
"The Northern Extension" 5 miles crossing the Champaign
County Line to connect to what was the end of the Simon Kenton Trail at
Cedar Bog.
Piqua Linear
Park Extension - The trail was extended from downtown Piqua along
the Great Miami River North 3.6 miles to the Water Plant. [Note: This
Northern section of trail was later re-named "The River's Edge
Trail" and then "The River's Edge].
Prairie Grass Trail -
Construction started from South Charleston Northeast to London adding an
additional 10.4 miles to the trail.
Great Miami
River Recreation Trail (Miami County) Construction - Ground was
broken in May 2002 for the trail that will eventually run 21 miles from
Taylorsville MetroPark in Montgomery County through Miami County's Tipp
City, Troy and Piqua to end at Sidney in Shelby County. Construction was on Section 1 which will be 1.6
miles long. This trail was dedicated 12 June 2003.
Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Butler County) - A
2.3 mile section was built from Bicentennial Commons to State Route 4. The
City of Middletown built this section.
Purple People Bridge
Dedicated - On 26 April 2003, the old Louisville and Nashville
(L&N) railroad bridge was dedicated as the "Purple People Bridge
from Sawyer's Point in Cincinnati to Newport Kentucky near the Acquarium.
This bridge will carry the Ohio River
Trail from Lunken Airport where it meets with the end of the Little
Miami Scenic Trail into Kentucky.
Wolf Creek Recreation Trail
- One mile from where the Wolf Creek empties into the Great Miami River and
connecting to the trail on the West Bank to the Wright Dunbar neighborhood.
Eventually this trail was named the "Paul Laurence Dunbar Connector."
Stillwater River
Recreation Trail Dedicated - The
trail was dedicated in May 2002. Englewood MetroPark South under
I-70 to Jake Grossnickle Park. It adds 2 miles to the trail
system.
Piqua Linear Park
Expansion - 2.2 miles was added starting at French Park North to SR-66
near the Water Plant.
[Note: This trail was re-named the "Hydraulic Canal Park" and
lately "Canal Run."]
Greenville Creek Trail - One mile of trail along
Greenville Creek from Alice Bish Park to Greenville City Park (Darke
County).
Simon Kenton Trail - The trail was dedicated April
2002. It runs from downtown Springfield at the Heritage Center North to
Urbana.
Groundbreaking for Simon Kenton
Trail - The groundbreaking was held at Cedar Bog 14 April 2001. The
Phase I trail was built from Cedar Bog to State Route 55 North about 2.5
miles. The trail opened 3 June 2001.
Stewart Street Trail Opens -
This 0.5 mile trail section from the Great Miami River Recreation Trail (at
Stewart Street) to the University of Dayton opened June 2001.
Piqua Linear Park Opens -
The City of Piqua dedicated 5.5 miles of an eventual 13 miles of East to
West trail in the city in June 2001.
New Bridge over
Spinning Road on Creekside Trail - The bridge across Spinning Road in Beavercreek on the Creekside Recreation Trail
is completed in November 2001. The bridge is about 1/2 mile West of the Creekside Recreation Trail
bridge
over Interstate 675. There is
also a new Spur west of Woodman Drive on the trail at Woodman Park
apartments.
Prairie Grass Trail To Be
Extended - The existing trail from Xenia Station Northeast to
Cedarville was to be extended to Selma and South Charleston. Ground
was broken in late August and the trail was finished and dedicated 17
November 2001.
Stillwater River
Trail Starts Construction - Construction was to begin from the Samaritan North Health Center 9000 N. Main Street. The trail will then head east to Jack Grossnickle Park. Then the trail will follow the Stillwater River north and will veer west to go under the spillway at the Englewood MetroPark dam. The trail will then join with other trails in the MetroPark that run north towards Union, Ohio.
Rubicon Trail Built By
Five Rivers MetroParks - [Note: Now Stewart Street Bikeway] The park district is building the Rubicon
Trail a connection from the River
Corridor Bikeway [Note: Now Great Miami River Recreation Trail] to the
University of Dayton on the South side of Stewart Street. This trail is one
half mile long.
Piqua Bike Construction The city of Piqua (Miami
County) announced recently that they would be building a trail along the
Conrail corridor East and West from Lock Nine Park to the city's new French
Park another 3.9 miles to Patrizio Place. This section is planned for
completion by the end of 2001. A third phase, not yet for bid will extend
the East-West trail to a total of 6.5 miles for $1.6 million. The plan
includes a renovation of the 550' railroad bridge over the Great Miami
River. The city also is making plans to build a North-South trail 6.6 miles
trail along the canal and river levee. This trail will be designed next year
and will complete the 13.5 miles of the trail.
City of Lebanon to build Spur to Little Miami Scenic
Trail [Author's Note: This trail was eventually built and
called the Lebanon Countryside
Trail]. The city of Lebanon is planning to connect to the existing trail via
Deerfield Road and Kingsview Drive as a way to get downtown or to the YMCA.
The YMCA started the $250,000 trail and paid for the engineering and design
work. No estimate was given for completion.
City of Waynesville to build Spur to Little Miami
Scenic Trail The city of Waynesville in Warren County is planning to
build a spur from the City to the trail at the Town of Corwin. No date was
given for completion.
Buck
Creek Trail. Is finished and dedicated 13 May 2000 in Clark County from Pumphouse Road near Buck Creek State
Park along the Creek to Veteran's Park in downtown Springfield. Now 5.76
miles long
Creekside
Trail finished The 6 mile trail is complete and you can use
it. The Creekside Trail was dedicated Saturday 3 June at 5th./3rd Park and
Ride. This is the Creekside Trail from the Greene County Line to Eastwood
MetroPark built by Five Rivers MetroParks.
Fairgrounds
Recreation Center Spur (From Creekside
Trail) - This .45 mile spur from the Creekside Trail in Xenia North
to the Greene County Fairgrounds (including a bridge over the Shawnee Creek
at James Ranch).
T-Connector
is Partially Funded! -
On Monday 15 November 1999, Congressman David Hobson dedicated what will
become the bridge to connect Fairborn to the entire Trail System.
The T-Connector
is the bridge that will connect the Kauffman Avenue Bikeway that ends at the Wright Brothers Memorial with
Huffman MetroPark. A trail will be built from Huffman MetroPark through the Dayton
Well fields along the Mad River to
Eastwood MetroPark there to connect with the Mad River Bikeway to Dayton
and the Creekside Trail to Xenia.
Great Connection Announced[Note: This trail is now called the Great Miami River
Recreation Trail (Warren & Butler Counties] This new trail, in development,
when finished, will connect
the River Corridor Bikeway 28 miles south along the Great Miami River,
passing through Warren and Butler counties to end at an existing 3.6
mile trail in Hamilton. This trail is being developed under the
management of the Miami Conservancy District.
Central
State University Spur - On 8 October this trail
spur which connects the Prairie Grass Trail to Central State University
was opened. The "Connection" which is .92 miles long
parallels Wilberforce-Switch Road and crosses SR-42 to enter the Central
State campus.
Creekside Trail Being Extended
- The Creekside Trail will be finished early 2000. This trail connects
Greene County and the Little
Miami Scenic Trail to Montgomery and the River Corridor Bikeway,
[Note: Now named the Great Miami River Recreation Trail] runs parallel to US-35. In 1998 Greene County finished paving to
the Greene/Montgomery County line, at US-35 and I-675 in Beavercreek.
Now the final 6 or so miles is being finished by Montgomery County to
end at Eastwood MetroPark. From there the Mad River Trail takes the
trail downtown to connect with the River Corridor Bikeway north and
south along the Great Miami in downtown Dayton.
Little
Miami Scenic Trail - The trail was extended from Yellow
Springs to John's Road near Springfield an additional 7 miles and was dedicated on 17 April
1999. At this time the length of Little Miami Scenic Trail became 72 miles.
Simon Kenton Trail
- was extended to Cedar Bog.
Construction added another 6 miles of trail to the trail
from the north side of Springfield to the scenic Cedar Bog. This trail
is now named, Simon Kenton Trail and will run to Urbana (See
2005).
Yellow
Springs Station The replica station
which acts as a way station, with restrooms open 12 months of the
year, was dedicated in downtown Yellow Springs 8 May 1999.
Xenia
Station - was opened
in Xenia. It is the hub of five trails leading North to Yellow Springs and
then to Springfield, South to Milford, West to near Dayton, Northeast to
Cedarville and Southwest (planned) to Washington Court House
The Little
Miami Scenic Trail was
extended North from Yellow Springs about 7 miles to Springfield. The Yellow Springs Station was built as a part of this development.
It
provided rest rooms and parking on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The
building was dedicated May 1999.
Kaufmann
Avenue Bikeway The
bikeway was finished by adding a link from Colonel
Glenn to Skyline Drive (Entrance to Area "B" WPAFB). 2.3 miles of
trail was added along Kaufmann Avenue
to the Wright Brothers Memorial.
Prairie Grass Trail
- (AKA Ohio To Erie Trail) - Trail built from Xenia Station (Hill Street
to Sims Street with a spur at Sims Street in 1997 .5 mile) and 8.16 miles
from Sims Street to Barber Road in 1998. A total of 8.66 miles of
trail were built.
Creekside Trail - The
10.4 mile trail was built in 1997 including the development of the Xenia
Station and dedicated in November 1997. This event started me in building
this website. See "How
This All Started?"
Jamestown Connector
- [Now named Xenia-Jamestown Connector] - a 1.1 mile trail
in the City of Jamestown.
Little Miami Scenic
Trail - Hedges Road to US-35 - About one mile. Built by
Greene County Parks & Recreation.
Wolf Creek Rail Trail -
[Now named Wolf Creek Recreation Trail] - 13 miles from Trotwood to
Verona.
Huffman Prairie
Overlook Trail - [Now named Wright Brothers Bikeway] - 4.2 miles from
Fairborn YMCA to Wright Brothers Memorial.
Creekside Trail - .1
miles of trail was built including the Geneva and Trainview Spurs in Greene
County
Wright
Cycle Estates Spur - This .34 mile trail spur is from the Little
Miami Scenic Trail just South of where the trails goes under US-35 and
connects the trail to the Wright Cycle Estates, a housing development in
Xenia.
Creekside Trail
- This is the 10.61 miles of trail from Xenia Station to the
Greene County Line. The construction included the Xenia Station.
Mad River Bikeway
- [Now named Mad River Recreation Trail] - 2.8 miles from
RiverScape to Eastwood MetroPark.
Great Miami River
Recreation Trail (Dayton) - A 2.3 mile section of this trail was
built from Siebenthaler Avenue North to Sinclair Park (Harrison Township).
[Note: This trail was formerly called the River Corridor Bikeway - See
Trails Built in 1976 ] Sinclair Park is the most Northern Section of the
current trail along the Stillwater River.
"K
Station" Built - (Great Miami River Recreation Trail) - This
restroom and water stop was built just North of West Carrollton. It was
named in honor of the woman who came up with the idea Mrs. Kay Huffman,
mother of Dayton Daily News reporter; Dale Huffman.
Main
Street - Pinnacle Road Bike Path - (City of Moraine) This 2.3 mile
trail connects the Great Miami River Recreation Trail in Moraine West along
Main Street and then Pinnacle Road to Deer Meadow Park (formerly Pinnacle
Park.
River Corridor Bikeway
(Dayton) - A 1.5 mile section from Island MetroPark to Siebenthaler
Avenue was built. [Note: Trail
is now named Great Miami River Recreation Trail]
River
Corridor Bikeway (Dayton) - A 12.6 mile section of trail was built
from Stewart Street South to Rice Field in Miamisburg. [Note: Trail
is now named Great Miami River Recreation Trail]
River Corridor Bikeway (Dayton)
- The
initial 8.2 miles of Horace B. "Huffy" Huffman's dream of a
bike trail in Dayton was dedicated at the 1976 River Festival. [Note: Trail
is now named Great Miami River Recreation Trail]. The trail was a loop on
both sides of the Great Miami River from Helena Street in the North (Island
MetroPark) to Stewart Street in the South.
Troy Trail Phase 2 -
One Half mile trail from Adams Street Bridge and proceeding North
along the top of the river levee and along the top of the Morgan Ditch. The trails were
also extended to the Miami Shores Golf Course
Troy Trail Phase 1 -
The first bike trails were begun in 1972 along the top of the
Miami Conservancy District levees to connect Westbrook to the City Park/Hobart arena area.
Note: Trail Name
Changes Many trails in this list have had several names over
the years. I have attempted to show in the year the trail was built the original
trail name with the new trail name in [brackets] following the name. To see how
the trail names have changed over the years please see About
Bicycle Trail Names and Route Numbers.
Accuracy
Disclaimer: The numbers in the table above
Do Not add up to the mileage that I quote on my Miami
Valley RailTrails page. I have worked diligently to get the best and
most accurate date for this page. Unfortunately, some of the data I received
from the groups mentioned (and thanked) above, is less than 100% correct. Much
construction data has been lost since some trails were built some 37 years ago,
longer than many of my sources have been working at their organizations. I will
work over time to correct the data on this page for your use (if any). I wanted
a historical record of the trail building in the Miami Valley and as far as I
know, this page is the only place you will find all the construction history of
all the trails in the Miami Valley. Thank You - Webmaster
