http://www.heraldargus.com/content/story.php?storyid=5144
Saturday, October 2, 2004
Michigan City trail network launched
By KORI KAMRADT —
County Reporter
MICHIGAN
CITY — The first of seven new trails in Michigan City is scheduled to
be designed and constructed within the next year.
The Singing Sands Lighthouse Trail will be approximately 2.8 miles long
and will begin at the city’s western boundary along U.S. 12 and
continue northeast along the Chicago South Shore Freight Line railroad
and ultimately end up at Washington Park.
“The destination alone will make it one of the main trails,” said
Michigan City Trails and Greenways Director Laura New.
New also said eventually the trail will connect to the state of
Michigan.
The trail’s cost is $1.5 million and New said the money comes from a
$950,000 Transportation and Enhancement grant with a 20 percent match
from the city. In order to meet the match they will use the value of
property owners land and no taxpayer money.
This trail is the first of seven to be constructed as outlined in the
Michigan City Greenways/Bike Route Master Plan that New said she has
been working on for a few years now. According to the plan Michigan
City will eventually have 27 miles of trails that will loop within one
another and connect parks, schools and other landmarks such as
libraries and the lake itself. The trail system will also connect
Porter County and Lake County all the way into Illinois.
“The planning is 99.5 percent complete,” New said. “And within less
than 30 days from now it will be.”
New said that even though the design and construction will start soon
it will be at least two years until the public can use the trail and at
least 30 years until the entire system is completed.
The system will eventually be a part of the larger American Discovery
Trail which will reach from California all the way to Ohio.
New said multi-use trails such as the proposed Singing Sands Lighthouse
Trail, have many benefits.
She said that no matter a person’s age they will be able to use the
trails as an alternate transportation route whether this means walking,
biking, skateboarding or rollerblading and so on.
“It can also be a benefit for health and fitness,” she said.
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