Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative (HWPI), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Transportation and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, held a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 24 to celebrate the start of construction on a new segment of Washtenaw County’s Border-to-Border (B2B) trail.
This 2.6-mile trail segment will begin just north of the roundabout at the intersection of Werkner Road and M-52, north of Chelsea. The trail will run parallel to M-52 and stop at Green Lake Campground, in Waterloo Recreation Area, providing access to the DTE Mountain Bike Trail. The new segment will form part of the Iron Belle Trail, part of Michigan’s longest statewide trail network.
The non-motorized trail will be a paved, 10-foot wide Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliant, separated pathway, intended for multiple types of users including bikers, runners, wheelchair users and walkers. The Trail is anticipated to open in the fall of 2018.
The B2B was conceived by WCPRC as a planned non-motorized trail that begins in Ypsilanti and roughly follows the Huron River through the County to its exit in the northwest corner near Lyndon Township. When complete it will connect Ann Arbor, Dexter, Chelsea and Stockbridge. Approximately 25 miles of the B2B have been built and 21 miles are planned for construction.
Construction of this new B2B segment is part of a much larger plan to expand trails in the region. The B2B will ultimately connect to the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park to the north through both Stockbridge and near Pinckney. Governmental organizations from Livingston, Ingham and Jackson Counties will undertake trail planning and construction activities to facilitate these connections.
HWPI works in partnership with WCPRC and countless other governmental organizations to facilitate the development of non-motorized recreational pathways in Washtenaw and surrounding counties. HWPI facilitates trail development by encouraging community engagement and raising private sector money.
For more information about HWPI, plans for the trail and how to get involved, please visit huron-waterloo-pathways.org.
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