Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter May 2009

Miami Valley RailTrails Newsletter
May 2009

It’s Thursday 14 May 2009 and I have a lot of news for you. Please read on.

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

News from Clinton County - Our friends in Wilmington are working to build a trail from there Northeast to Washington Court House in Fayette County. They have a “first right of refusal" from DPL with an option to purchase approximately 86 acres in Clinton County. They are also negotiating to purchase the right of way in Fayette County. They expect that this will be settled in the next 60 days. The agreement would cover the distance from just outside of Wilmington into Washington CH. and somewhat beyond. Click Here or above to see their website

This purchase is important because Fayette County also owns the right of way from Washington Courthouse West into Greene County. Eventually the Fayette County folks may be able to meet with the Xenia-Jamestown Connector which is finished in Greene County to the Fayette County line.

Look at this Yahoo Map of Wilmington and Washington Courthouse. You can see the railbed on the map stretching Northeast to Washington Courthouse. Wilmington County also may be able in the future to buy all of the right of way West from Wilmington into Warren County so that they can connect their trail to the Little Miami Scenic Trail at about South Lebanon.
Trail Construction in Miami County - There are three trail sections under construction currently or will be on contract this year. They are:
- Piqua - Lock 9 Park S. to Peterson Road (AKA Section 6) - This three mile trail section from Lock 9 Park South along the Great Miami River and past the closed Nuclear Power Plant, to Peterson Road is being paved the week of 11 May. This trail section will be dedicated on Friday 6 June 2009 at Lock 9 Park at 10:00 AM.
- Kyle Park (Tipp City) S. to Taylorsville MetroPark (AKA Section 4) – This section is from the South end of Kyle Park in Tipp City to the Northern border of Taylorsville MetroPark. Bids have been delayed until July 2009. After bid opening construction will probably start in 2009 with a completion in 2010. When finished, this section will connect the trails in Miami County with Montgomery County and the Miami Valley Trails System as I call it. The trail in Taylorsville MetroPark and South is called the Great Miami River Recreation Trail (Northern Section). To see all the trail sections Click Here
- Peterson Road South via Twin Arches and the Covered Bridge to Eldean Road. (AKA Section 5) - This section is going to be bid July 2009. Construction should start in 2009 with completion in 2010.

Website Changes and Improvements

About Multi-Use Trail Names and Route Numbers (Updated) - I have had a webpage for some time that explains that many trails have more than one name. This makes it a bit confusing when talking about them. On the same page I have information about a trail numbering system that five counties in Southwest Ohio are now using to mark your trails.
Events Page Updated - I have added a number of new events to this page. And I have deleted events that have already occurred.
Trail Usage Statistics and Economic Benefits of Trails – This month I was given data for 2007 and 2008 for all the trails in Greene County. The Greene County Parks District was diligent in getting the data from their counters to me. I have updated the page with the new data. It shows a large increase in use of the trails in the county. The data is derived from counters that collected data from January to December 2008
- Please Note: Greene County Parks District as well as Five Rivers MetroParks, Miami County Park District and several city parks departments will be conducting trail counts in July 2009. They will be asking for volunteers to make the collection of data a success. I’ll be providing more information on this as I receive it.
Trails in Miami County Page - At a recent Miami County Trails Task Force meeting I suggested that instead of using trail segment names like Section 1, Section 2, Section 3 and the like, that we have been using for several years, that we change our titles to names of places. So instead of using the name Section 1 anymore we use the place where the trail is located like Dye Mill Road South to Monroe Township Line . The group agreed and now the agenda and minutes are in geographic place names. I did not realize when I made the suggestion how much work that would cause me on this website. If you go to the Great Miami River Recreation Trail In Miami County page, you'll see that I have revised the entire page to make this happen. I have left in the old names so that some of the references (and links) to the webpages that actually describe the trails still work. Over time I will be revised all of the pages for the trails in Miami County to rationalize their content. Instead of having a page (like today) for Section 1, I will have a page that describes the trail from Tipp City to Troy. That will mean that I will delete the old webpages and create new ones to make finding your way along the trail easier.
Multi-Use Trail Approved Projects - Recently MVRPC had a call for construction projects that could be built this year using the "CY2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds" AKA Stimulus Funds. In my Trail Construction segment of my March Newsletter I reported that three proposed projects were recommended for funding by MVRPC. I have updated my Approved Projects page to give you the details of each of them.

Photos & Information Wanted Department

None this month

Did you Know Department?

City of Columbus Ohio is a Bike Friendly Community – The League of American Cyclists named Columbus as a Bronze Award winner in its Spring 2009 announcement of cities, communities and states that had achieved Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum awards for being Bike Friendly Communities.
City of Riverside Receives Honorable Mention in Bike Friendly Community Competition - The City of Riverside achieved some small level of recognition as well as the City of Columbus mentioned above. The League of American Cyclists was quoted as saying "...the committee saw enough 'bright spots' in Riverside's application to give the city some encouragement..." Therefore the City of Riverside received an "Honorable Mention" for its efforts thus far. The Dayton Daily News had a column titled: "Riverside's commitment to bike paths garners recognition" by Ken McCall in its Monday 11 May edition. Click Here or on the title above to read what Ken McCall said about Riverside.
Drive Less Live More has Started Again - Again in 2009 Miami Valley has started its campaign to ask citizens to “Drive Less and Live More”. Their Press Release said:
- “Drive Less Live More is your connection to healthier, cleaner, more affordable transportation choices within the greater Dayton region. As Americans we love our cars. We think nothing of driving less than a mile to the bank, the store or even from one parking lot to another at a shopping center. As our waistlines – and our dependence on foreign oil – increase, the quality of our life and air decrease. But it’s not as if we are trying to pollute our environment or be less active, it’s just become second nature to grab the keys and go. But there’s a better way. Residents of the Greater Dayton Region have a variety of alternative travel options – walking, biking on paved recreation trails, riding regional transit, or carpooling.”
Please look at their website and see how you can change your routine this Summer so you too can "Drive Less Live More"

Announcements of Upcoming Events

See Upcoming Events Area

Dedication of Piqua Trail on 5 June 2009 – The folks in Piqua invite you to the dedication of the 2 mile section of the Great Miami River Recreation Trail South from Lock Nine Park to Peterson Road on Friday 5 June, 2009 at 10:00 AM in Canal Lock Park in Piqua.
Towpath Trail Dedication Saturday 6 June - Our friends to the North; the Miami Erie Canal Corridor Association (MECCA), is having a dedication on Saturday 6 June 2009 at the Noble Township Hall. The new trail segment is two miles long and the dedication will be a part of National Trails Day. For more information please write: meccadirector@nktelco.net.
WPAFB Bike To Work Day June 12 2009 - (See Events Page) for details. WPAFB and the City of Beavercreek will be having their event on Friday 12 June 2009 at 7:00 AM.

Webpage of the Month

New Interactive Maps Page - This month’s webpage is our new Interactive Maps Page. There you can find out almost anything about any trail in the Miami Valley. Take a look. I’m sure you’ll find the maps most useful to your trail use. When you use this new feature on the website, please notice that the colors that are used for each trail are identical to the colors on the MVRPC map that was revised in 2008. This was on purpose to make it easier for you to navigate. Also please check out a great videos that they have been adding to each of the maps. I have suggested that on a map that connects to another trail some provision be made to show the link to the other trail. The webmaster is working on my suggestion.

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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