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Home My WebLink About05-07-10 Connecting communities: Riverside and Darden trails 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- Pg. 2 Parking is available along Riverside Drive, where permitted, as well as: ? At Academy Boulevard ? Across from the trail in Keller and Pinhook parks ? Along Riverside Drive at Northview Drive ? At the DNR boat launch and the Keller Park boat launch Construction team: Selge Construction Co. served as general contractor with other work by Rieth- Riley Construction and design by The Troyer Group. Thanks to: The St. Joseph County chapter of the Izaak Walton League and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for easements to help make the trail possible. South Bend’s Riverwalk consists of several segments: ? East Bank Trail – The 0.46-mile trail extends from Howard Street north to St. Joseph’s High School. When opened in 1988, it was among the first Rails-to-Trails conversions in Indiana. ? East Bank Walkway – Started in Howard Park in 1982 and in conjunction with the development of the East Race Waterway in 1984, this path was built in multiple phases. It features concrete and boardwalk segments, stretching 2.81 miles from St. Louis Boulevard north to Howard Street. ? Northside Trail – The original concrete segment begins at Howard Park, incorporating former WPA construction, and extends southeast to Twyckenham Drive. In 2009, the multipurpose path was extended by 0.58 mile with an asphalt section from Twyckenham Drive to near the intersection th of 20 and Pleasant streets. A grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources funded the extension. The Northside Trail is currently 2.03 miles, but plans are under way for further extension. ? Riverside Trail – The 3.4-mile trail was built in two phases in 2006-07 and 2009. ? West Bank Walkway – The 1.11-mile walkway represents the first stretch of Riverwalk built in the greater South Bend area, beginning in 1975. It now consists of asphalt paths and boardwalk extending south from LaSalle Avenue to Monroe Street, and includes the St. Joseph River footbridge (a former railroad bridge between Howard Park and the downtown area). Also, Indiana University South Bend has built a 0.6-mile Springbrook Trail on the south side of the St. Joseph River to connect the main campus (and South Bend’s Riverwalk) via the IU South Bend footbridge with the River Crossing Campus Apartments. Mayor Luecke and the Common Council have approved $200,000 for planning and design of st Northside Trail from 21 Street to Logan Street, connecting Indiana University South Bend and the South Bend Riverwalk with Mishawaka’s Riverwalk system. Nearly $1.4 million in federal assistance is targeted for this expansion from two separate programs: transportation enhancement, and congestion mitigation and air quality. Completion of this Northside Trail segment, scheduled for construction in 2011, would bring the total length of the Riverwalk in South Bend to nearly 12 miles. The Riverwalk segments represent more than 13 percent of a 90.8-mile bicycle network of multipurpose trails, striped lanes and “Share the Road” routes planned for South Bend. -more- St. Joseph County Commission For Release: May 7, 2010 The County completed a series of three projects from 1996-2009 to construct the Darden Trail, approximate overall lengths is 1.1 miles at a cost of $1.85M. Trail spans the St. Joseph River to S.R. 933. The Darden Trail was part of an earlier community vision (local bike enthusiast groups, Parks, etc.) named "The River Trail and Darden Road Parkway". This vision's goal was to provide multi-use trails throughout the Portage and Clay Township communities connecting City and County Parks, Schools, Neighborhoods, and Businesses and enjoying the scenic beauty of the St. Joseph River while bicycling, jogging, walking, and skating. The County's first contribution to this vision was the rehabilitation of the Old Darden Road Bridge in 1996 for pedestrian use. Cole Associates of South Bend designed the project and Calumet Construction of Hammond, Indiana completed the work. The approximate construction cost was $850,000 and was federally funded using Transportation Enhancement funds. The structure was built in 1885 at Water Street (now known as LaSalle Street). In 1906, the Pratt Truss spans were floated "down" the river to its present location. The bridge consists of two wrought iron truss spans and two steel girder approach spans. Length = 330 feet. The second project funded 100% locally involved the construction of the New Darden Road Bridge, road realignment, and the extension of the Darden Trail. The project connected to existing trails leading to Clay Park and began the trail heading east along Darden Road. Again, Cole Associates designed the project and Calumet Construction performed the work. The facility opened in 1999 and the trail improvements approximately cost $400,000. (Overall project cost $3.08M) Trail length = 0.34 miles. The recent Darden Road reconstruction finished in 2009 and extended the trail from Laurel Road to S.R. 933. DLZ, Indiana (formerly Cole Associates) designed the project and Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc. of South Bend completed the work. The approximate construction cost for the trail improvements was $600,000 and was federally funded using Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. (The overall project cost was approx. $2.8M and also used Group I STP funds). Trail length = 0.7 miles. The above projects were also made possible through the efforts of the County Commissioners and County Councilmen serving through this time period, as well as former County Engineers- Rollin Farrand and Susan Al-Abbas, and current County Engineer- Jessica Clark. - 30 -