MONROE TWP., Miami County — Plans for building the stretch of the Great Miami Bike Trail through the township have changed again, focusing first on a connection north to Troy instead of south to Montgomery County.

The latest change was made official Feb. 21, when county commissioners agreed to have the county engineer's office act as project coordinator for the trail's north leg.

That section will go from the north side of Tipp City's Nature Center to the Monroe Twp.-Concord Twp. line. There, the new section will tie into the first rural section of the trail to open in 2003 through Concord Twp. and into Troy.

Work on the Monroe Twp. south section, from Tipp City's Kyle Park south to a tie-in with the Five Rivers MetroParks trail in Montgomery County, was supposed to get under way this year, using more than $2 million in grants.

Delays in obtaining access to all property along the proposed south trail route led to the change in focus to the north leg. Five Rivers MetroParks was the agency coordinating the south project. A Miami County agency was needed to coordinate the north leg because MetroParks has no connection to the north leg.

Funding for the north leg has been requested through the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission by the Miami County Park District. The construction cost is estimated at more than $900,000 and an answer on the funding request is expected.

If the funding is not approved, money from the $2 million grant could be moved to the north leg and additional funds sought for the south section, said Jerry Eldred, Miami County Parks executive director.

A county task force has been working since 2000 to build a trail north-south, basically following the Great Miami River, and then link with trails within Troy, Piqua and Tipp City as they are completed.

Contact this reporter at (937) 335-4357 or nbowman@DaytonDailyNews.com.