05-07-10 Connecting communities: Riverside and Darden trails

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Office of the Mayor NEWS RELEASE May 7, 2010 2 p.m. Connecting communities: Riverside and Darden trails Contact: Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564 The newest segment of the City of South Bend’s 3.4-mile Riverside Trail was formally dedicated today in a ceremony marking its connection via the 1885 landmark Darden Road Bridge with St. Joseph County’s new 0.81-mile trail along Darden Road. South Bend’s Riverwalk system, a key part of the first-ever Bike the Bend ride on May 23, now totals 10.31 miles with design under way on a final 1-mile segment to link with Mishawaka’s 2.75-mile Riverwalk. “These multipurpose trails epitomize intergovernmental cooperation,” said Mayor Stephen J. Luecke, who shared a ride at today’s news conference on a tandem bicycle with Mishawaka Mayor Jeff Rea. “The federal government provides 80 percent of the funding to support local government initiatives, while local governments collaborate to ensure that these trails connect as they do at the Darden Road Bridge.” About the Riverside Trail: Length: 3.4 miles Width: 10 feet ? Phase 1: Angela Boulevard to Oakwood Boulevard, 1.7 miles ? Phase 2: Oakwood Boulevard to Darden Road, 1.7 miles Cost: $3.45 million (80 percent covered by U.S. Department of Transportation grants; 20 percent by City of South Bend funds) ?? Phase 1: $1.79 million Phase 2: $1.66 million Amenities: Overlooks are featured at Beale Street, Keller Park boat launch, Keller Park, Sherman Street, Academy Boulevard, Northview Drive, just south of Viking Drive, and at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Public Access Boat Launch at the Darden Pedestrian Bridge. These areas include benches and planting beds. -more-