The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Bridge repairs to close 25 miles of Little Miami Scenic Trail for 5 days

Masked gunman attempted to rob wireless store, police say
3:25 p.m.
Local Buckeye Bash a “bust”
1:18 p.m.
Multiple cases of teacher misconduct a wakeup call for Northmont
11:00 a.m.
Ferguson attempts suicide after being found guilty on all 32 counts
10:05 a.m.
Seasonal flu shots to resume Monday
9:55 a.m.
> More headlines

By Ken McCall, Staff Writer 11:46 AM Friday, May 29, 2009

With the help and prodding of a new citizen’s group, Ohio State Parks has found money to pave 11 dangerous wooden bridges along the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

Construction will begin Monday, June 1, closing 25 miles of the trail between Xenia and Morrow, said Alan Ferguson, assistant park manager state’s Cowan Lake Region. The project is expected to be completed by Friday, June 5.

“Our contractor said it’s not going to be a problem barring any crazy weather,” Ferguson said. “I certainly don’t want it to go through next weekend if at all possible.”

Signs warning of the closure went up along the trail on Thursday.

The wooden and metal surfaces on the bridges become dangerously slick when damp and caused several serious injuries to bicycle riders last year. Among the injuries caused by falls on the bridges last year were a spinal injury that caused partial paralysis, a broken pelvis, a broken wrist, and broken rib and collapsed lung.

“To save money, they’ll be grinding out and prepping the bridges all at once, so they’ll be impassable for a few days,” Ferguson said. “And then they’ll be mobilizing the asphalt trucks all at once.”

The plan is to fully pave the bridges so riders won’t be able to tell the difference from the trail surface, Ferguson said. He advises riders to look at their maps because in some areas, especially the northern section, detours will be difficult.

Total budget for the project, to be done by HiMark Construction Group, Inc., of Franklin, is $21,150. Ferguson said none of the money comes from federal stimulus programs.

Ferguson and Jim Henahan, community relations manager for Ohio State Parks, said the project would not be happening without the work of the new Friends of the Little Miami State Park. In a little more than six months, the group has organized, incorporated, gotten non-profit status and raised close to $4,000 for maintenance of the trail.

“They’ve been so effective in organizing themselves and doing the fund raising, that they’re an obvious model friends group,” said Henahan, who coordinates the efforts of 53 friends groups around the state. “They’re considered by our management team to be very successful, and they figured we need to reward these people.”

The group is donating $3,990, enough to pave about four bridges, and the state is coming up with the rest. The group has already replaced a number of timbers on some of the wooden bridges, launched an adopt-a-trail program and has purchased “pipe safe” donation boxes that will be posted along the 60-mile length of the trail in the state park.

But Simeon Copple, the group’s president and owner of the Corwin Peddler restaurant in Corwin, said the friends group wants to raise another $7,000 in the next 30 days to take care of further repairs. The group, he said, sent out an e-mail letter this week to the almost 300 people on its list soliciting donations. Among the goals: to fix 20 rough patches around Morrow, replace more rotten boards on the bridges that won’t be paved and buy more trail maintenance equipment.

“We’re very, very happy with the way this group is growing,” Copple said. “We have a very talented group of core people, and they’re working together very well.”

To donate or get more information, visit www.flmsp.org.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2393 or kmccall@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

What a waste of taxpayer money. Sad.

inco
3:48 PM, 5/30/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Anything to get us out of the cars. Most people are slaves to the almighty automobile these days. Not me! Ride free!

Sid
1:40 PM, 5/30/2009

REPORT ABUSE

I am usually against the government wasting money on things, but this sounds like a good thing. maybe people will get out more and enjoy the non urban areas in this area. we do have some cool parks around here.

Barry
11:53 AM, 5/30/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Greg, It doesn't have anything to do with being stupid. I'm glad to see them fixing these bridges. When they get wet they are very slick and have caused some serious injuries. Glad it's only going to be five days.

Jim
11:02 AM, 5/30/2009

REPORT ABUSE

If you are too stupid to ride a bike without getting injured, stay off them.

greg
3:19 AM, 5/30/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There are 3 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.