Proposed bikeway project would connect Vandalia to Great Miami River Rec Trail

Plans include restriping South Brown School Road, from National Road to the intersection of Scholz and Cassel Creek drives, to provide two-way separated bike lanes on the east side of South Brown School Road, with delineators between the bike lanes and motor vehicle lanes.

The outer eastbound through travel lane on National Road will be eliminated as part of the project. On Brown School Road, the outer northbound through/right lane, just north of Wollenhaupt Drive, and southbound right turn lanes will also be eliminated.

Project documents show a traffic analysis was completed which determined motor vehicle travel through the affected roadways is expected to increase between 0.1 and 4.1 seconds during peak hours.

The proposal outlines the construction of a 10-foot-wide multi-use trail, which will extend from the Scholz and Cassel Creek intersection, south to US 40, and along US 40 to the Great Miami River Rec Trail at Taylorsville MetroPark, just north of US 40 near South Cassel Road.

“This is going to be great for active transportation and walkability in town,” City Manager Dan Wendt said during a recent council meeting.

The project is scheduled for bid in May 2024, with construction beginning in summer 2024, and estimated completion in May 2025.

Project documents show construction costs are estimated to total $2.88 million. The city was awarded $2.53 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds through the Department of Transportation, with the rest to be covered by local funding.

“While we are the local sponsor of the project, we are sharing the local costs with Five Rivers MetroParks,” Wendt said.

The project will also include upgrades to existing crosswalks along National Road and Brown School Road, and all pedestrian facilities impacted by construction will be evaluated and upgraded as needed to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, documents state.

The Great Miami River Recreational Trail offers more than 330 miles of trail system in southwestern Ohio. Although the trail extends through eastern Vandalia, there is currently a lack of bicycle-friendly access routes to the trail.