Bike ride from Dayton to WSU getting closer

Council to vote on easement for final link, which could be completed in 2012.

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By Jeremy P. Kelley, Staff Writer 1:51 AM Sunday, August 21, 2011

DAYTON — Construction could begin this fall on one of the final links of bike path to connect downtown Dayton to the Wright State University/Wright-Patterson Air Force Base area, according to Five Rivers MetroParks officials.

The Dayton City Commission is set to vote Wednesday on whether to grant the parks an easement for the bike path, through a city-owned wellfield along the Mad River in Eastwood Park.

The Mad River Trail currently runs from the east side of downtown to Harshman Road in Eastwood Park. The new trail would be a 2.6-mile off-street path from Harshman running northeast into Huffman MetroPark, at the southwest tip of the base.

From that point, riders can connect to the Wright Brothers-Huffman Trail and continue on to Wright State University.

MetroParks spokeswoman Val Hunt Beerbower said easements have already been acquired from Riverside, railroad companies and the base. Funding for the project is already in place through an Ohio Department of Transportation grant.

Dayton city water officials worked with MetroParks on the easement to protect the wellfield, according to city documents.

Beerbower said the next step after Wednesday’s commission vote will be to finalize construction documents, then go to bid this fall.

MetroParks officials said the path could be finished by late 2012, barring unexpected obstacles.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2278 or jkelley@Dayton DailyNews.com.

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