The Huron Waterloo Pathways Invitiative (HWPI) announced this yesterday on their Facebook page:
“Construction on the B2B is ready to begin! Thanks to tremendous community support, the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the Michigan Department of Transportation will start building the trail segment from M52 north of Chelsea to the Green Lake Campground on March 5. This 2.6 miles of trail is anticipated to open in the early fall of 2018. Stay tuned for a groundbreaking ceremony in February and public informational meetings later in the spring. Together we will build the B2B!”
This is the first phase of a project that will eventually extend the trail to Stockbridge.
For the past three years, the Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative (HWPI) has been spear-heading an effort to develop new non-motorized pathways in Washtenaw County. As a result, there will be a flurry of construction in 2018 including extending the Border to Border Trail from Huron Meadows Metro Park along the Huron River to Zeeb Road where it will intersect with a connector also being constructed from Ann Arbor Road.
HWPI Board Chairman, Jeff Hardcastle, and board member Lew Kidder recently attended a planning meeting for the construction of the 2.6 mile M-52 trail segment which will soon break ground. The trail construction is a cooperative effort between several state and county groups: Washtenaw Co Road Commission, MDOT, Washtenaw Co Parks and Recreation, Michigan DNR as well as various utilities and engineering firms who will be constructing the non-motorized pathway.
While HWPI has no official role in construction decisions, their efforts have made these trails possible through their advocacy and fund raising. Hardcastle shared these thoughts with supporters after the meeting:
- “It was altogether appropriate that Lew was present representing the Karen’s Trail Campaign that has been so instrumental in moving the Border-to-Border Trail (B2B) effort forward the past 18 months.
- “It was an honor to represent the hundreds of volunteers and supporters who have been engaged in the HWPI effort over the past three years.
- “We all owe a debt of gratitude to several community leaders in Lyndon Township who have been working on this trail segment since 2011. These leaders are Marc Keezer, Tim Eder, Eric Stalhandske, Greg Peter, Bart Hammer, and many others.”
It’s been a monumental effort involving a lot of people resulting in exciting times ahead for outdoor recreation in Washtenaw County. And there’s much more yet to come.
The mission of HWPI “is to facilitate the development of non-motorized recreational pathways, linking them to a growing network of Michigan trails. Our Vision is one of healthy, active, and connected communities.”
The Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative is a non-profit volunteer organization partnering with the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, the Michigan Fitness Foundation, and the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation.
