An entourage of officials from Lucas and Wood counties and their respective park districts gathered at W.W. Knight Nature Preserve in Perrysburg Township to hear about funding for expansion of the Chessie Circle Trail.
They chose this month to announce the $850,000 in federal funding, noting that May is national bike month.
Chris Smalley, director of the Wood County Park District, welcomed a group of about 50 people to the park and expressed appreciation to them for their partnerships which have led to development of trails for bicyclists and pedestrians in the county. Scott Carpenter, public information officer at Metroparks Toledo, echoed his comments, and both men noted the importance of the trails for physical and mental well being.
“We thank TMACOG for its commitment to bikeways across the region,” he said.
Rex Huffman of the Wood County Port Authority, said people may question why the authority supports development of these trails.
“Everything we do relates to economic development,” he said, adding, “Infrastructure doesn’t stop at boundaries and it’s the same with bike trails.” Huffman also pointed out that for many, transportation can be a barrier in getting to work. For those people, “these trails can be used.”
He noted the trails also provide an improved quality of life with safe places to bike or walk.
Sandy Spang, executive director of the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, emphasized that to obtain the funding for the trails requires a group effort with all its partners including both counties’ park districts, local government officials and the port authority.
She said over the years, they have made “meaningful progress” on trails, allowing people to travel further distances.
Spang described the Chessie Circle Trail as a “unique 11-mile corridor that was part of the historic Toledo rail.”
The former railroad site had a bridge crossing the Maumee River, but it was damaged in 1982 and never repaired.
TMACOG acquired the trail and bridge in 2011 and in 2018 secured funding to remove the damaged bridge.
She said the trails on both sides of the river represent an “active transportation site” and are widely used, but they are still challenged by the river.
She thanked U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur for helping TMACOG secure the funds to begin preliminary design and engineering for a new bridge.
“Multiuse paths better connect communities when coordinated across boundaries and allow people of all abilities to access recreation and alternative transportation options,” Spang said.
Rep. Kaptur expressed appreciation to the partners who worked together to acquire the funding.
She believes northwest Ohio is a “precious” jewel that remains unknown to the millions of people who travel through the region on I-75 and the Ohio Turnpike each year.
With events like the Biggest Week in American Birding and bike month activities, Rep. Kaptur said visitors are now beginning to understand all the region has to offer.
The multipurpose path across the river is just one more example and provides a link to the counties and ultimately other bike trails in northwest Ohio.
She encouraged officials to continue promoting the area. “This is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but we don’t advertise it.”
Kaptur concluded, “I look forward to adding dollars down the road to really build the bridge.”
If plans remain in place, the earliest the bridge could be built would be 2027 at an estimated cost of $15.5 million adjusted for inflation.
