CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW
CHELSEA-STOCKBRIDGE CORRIDOR
M52 Toward Stockbridge
Construction began in 2023 on a new trail segment along the east side of M-52 in Lyndon Township and is nearly complete as of summer 2024. What remains is 1000ft of path and a concrete boardwalk set to open in November. This segment adds 1.6 miles, north of N. Territorial road to Boyce Road to create 7.9 miles of continuous trail starting in Chelsea in Timbertown. This project included grading, paving the trail, planting 106 native trees (maple, oak, lindens) and landscape restoration. This project also included pavement and fence repairs to the existing trail south of the trailhead near the DTE Trail connection.
As of March 2024, a new 108ft concrete boardwalk is in progress and estimated to finish later this fall. Currently 90% of the concrete is set. This material is a new application on the B2B Trail, with great benefits such as being more cost effective, lasting 3x longer than a wooden boardwalk, and safer during rain events by creating a less icy and slippery surface. The boardwalk is expected to be completed by late fall 2024.
We are looking forward to this trail segment bringing us closer to the western Washtenaw County border!
Chelsea Connection
The route through the City of Chelsea between Timbertown and Freer Rd. is being coordinated in collaboration with the City of Chelsea’s nonmotorized planning efforts.
Timbertown Trailhead
Summer 2024 saw a lot of activity at the Timbertown trailhead!
WCPARC and HWPI has a long history of partnering with the City of Chelsea to create some of the longest continuous stretches of B2B Trail. Both groups also worked with the Timbertown Reimagined project and the City during their planning and design process to ensure that the new park features and trailhead amenities were well coordinated.
As part of the naming of TimberTown as an official B2B Trailhead, 4 projects — independent, yet with each bringing an important and complementary vision — are at the core of ‘Reimagined TimberTown’ effort. Six new pickleball courts opened in June and the wooden play structure complex received much-needed repairs and enhancements, which were funded by private donations earmarked specifically for these initiatives.
Contractors began in fall 2024 on building a parking lot, planting native trees, and installing one of the primary orientation nodes per the B2B Trail wayfinding plan. Completion is anticipated for summer 2025.
DEXTER-CHELSEA CORRIDOR
The remaining 0.7 miles from Wylie Road past Parker Road was completed in August 2024. This project included the installation of a short bridge to cross a small creek west of the Miller-Smith Preserve. Construction of 1,000 ft of trail now connects the B2B Trail from Dancer Road to Miller Smith Preserve.
Looking ahead in 2025, use of the historic Bell Road Bridge to cross Mill Creek as it connects to the trail near Forest Lawn Cemetery will align with an additional 0.8 miles of trail to connect the trail to the City of Dexter. Construction is planned to begin in summer of 2025. Our construction team is securing easements for the final alignment of the 105-foot wrought iron bridge constructed in 1891. Once complete, only 1.1 miles of trail remain to be built between Dexter and Chelsea.
As we work toward making the final connections between Dexter and Chelsea, parking will be challenging along this segment. Once the corridor is complete, there will be parking and safe public access. Until then, if you do park in this area, please do not use Beacon Hill Drive as it is a private road.
HUDSON MILLS METROPARK CORRIDOR
The Huron Clinton Metroparks have completed a study that seeks to connect all of the Metroparks via nonmotorized trails. Washtenaw County Parks, Metroparks, and others are using that study to lay the groundwork for future B2B Trail expansion north of Hudson Mills. Updates will be reported here as trail progress continues.
ANN ARBOR-DEXTER CORRIDOR
Title IX Plaza
The Title IX Plaza: A Women in Sport Journey officially opened to the public in late-August 2024. Located along the B2B Trail in Dexter-Huron Metropark, the Title IX Plaza is a joint project between the Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. This project honors the impact of Title IX legislation on women’s sports in southeast Michigan and was inspired by the late Karen McKeachie. Construction began spring 2024 and the site opened with a celebration attended by project contributors, donors, local officials, women featured in the plaza, and the family of Karen McKeachie.
Zeeb-Delhi
Construction on the connection from Zeeb Road to Delhi Metropark is now complete. Trail. The bridge was installed in July 2024 and it was open for use with a ribbon cutting event in early August and a community bike ride event in early October. This project adds 1.3 miles of trail extending from Zeeb Road to East Delhi Road and includes the fourth B2B Trail bridge over the Huron River. This project completes a total of 4.6 miles of continuous trail east of Dexter toward Ann Arbor and connects all three Metroparks within Washtenaw County!
Delhi to Timberwood
The next segment of this corridor is nearing complete design and is being reviewed by permitting agencies. The project team hopes to start construction in late 2025. The project will include two bridges over the Huron River and 1.1 miles of new trail.
Maple Foster to Barton Nature Area
The project team continues to coordinate with MDOT and Amtrak to ensure that the project can be completed in the coming years. Public engagement on the trail projects is anticipated in the winter/spring of 2025.
ANN ARBOR CORRIDOR
Construction is complete on a 0.63 mile segment that crosses the Barton Nature Area.
The Trail Phase of the project started in March 2024 and is complete as of August 2024. This occurred along the edges of the existing trail and also in the location of the planned pedestrian tunnel. There may be temporary closures of other trails as needed during the next phases of construction.
In conjunction with this project is the natural play space near the trail. This new nature playground, the “Great Oak Nature Playground,” is also now open adjacent to the parking lot near Barton Dam. The trail project required the removal of a dying and potentially hazardous white oak tree. The dying tree is estimated to have been more than 150 years old and was felled in a way that allowed it to be reused on site as a new nature play structure. To learn more, read up on the City of Ann Arbor’s projects happening in this area on their website.
Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited about the construction of the Barton Bandemer Tunnel which will pass under the railroad line connecting Bandemer Park to Huron River Drive along the B2B Trail.
Engineering, permits, and agreements are secured for the Barton Bandemer Tunnel Project. The City of Ann Arbor has executed the construction contract for this project and the construction team is working through the final construction details. The project is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2025.Gallup Park bridge: Crews poured concrete pathways leading up to the Gallup Bridge near the B2B Trail. The new vehicle and pedestrian bridge is based on input from the community and will maintain a single vehicle lane and expand the sidewalks on either side to improve safety at the interface with the bridge. This project also includes improvements to the park road approaches, Border to Border Trail crossing, and park pathways. Learn more about this City of Ann Arbor project on their website. A wayfinding kiosk will be installed near this site in 2025.
YPSILANTI CORRIDOR
In Ypsilanti, the project team has collaborated with two City-led initiatives, enhancing small segments of the Border to Border Trail alongside adjacent road and bridge developments. Improvements have been made along Huron River Drive east of LeForge Road, and enhanced non-motorized connections have been coordinated on the Forest Avenue Bridge, located just north of Frog Island Park.
For more information on the Huron Drive project: https://cityofypsilanti.com/887/Huron-River-Drive-Roadwork
For more information on the Forest Bridge project: https://cityofypsilanti.com/892/Forest-Street-Bridge
Looking ahead within the City of Ypsilanti, enhancements to Riverside Park, such as the redevelopment of a trail segment and the expansion of the Depot Town parking lot, are anticipated in the coming years.
B2B TRAIL WAYFINDING
To improve the usability of the trails for residents and visitors, WCPARC is developing a series of wayfinding signs and structures to be installed across the Border to Border Trail system. Installations are planned to roll out in 2024 and continue over the next couple of seasons. Features will include:
- Primary orientation nodes will be installed at large parking access points with supporting trail amenities where people will be encouraged to park as primary access points. These structures will help to encourage sitting/resting, viewing, and further exploring before heading out on the trail. Content that will go on the primary orientation nodes will include local and regional trail maps, emergency contact information and trail etiquette guides.
- Secondary nodes – Map stations placed at highly visible spots at small parking access points, local access points, and intersecting trails.
- Directional signage will include a linear trail map with mile markers and miles to the next major destination point with amenity notes.
- Blazes will be used frequently on free-standing posts or attached to an existing post.
- Pavement markings will be used on the ground frequently where there is a turn or a choice to be made that could potentially cause users to leave the trail.
Installation of the wayfinding system will begin on the west side of the county and on newer segments of trail where there are few to no signs. The next priority is to replace the existing signs throughout the system to maintain consistency and updated accuracy. As new segments get constructed, now that the new wayfinding system is developed, signs will be part of the initial trail construction. As of fall 2024, the foundations are poured in Lyndon Twp, Timbertown, Freer Rd, Dexter Huron. There will also be one in Lowertown, another in Gallup Park, the Barton Bandemer Tunnel, and Frog Island in Ypsilanti.
CONNECTING TRAIL UPDATES
Iron Belle Trail – Van Buren Township
- Segment B – Rawsonville Rd through Van Buren Park
- Description: A 1.25 mile segment that began in fall 2022 is complete.
- Van Buren Township hosted a ribbon cutting celebration in October to mark the opening of this trail segment. The DTE Foundation created a video for the occasion – DTE Foundation Helps To Open Iron Belle Trail
- Segments J and K – Huron River Dr. to Lower Huron Metropark
- Description: Construction along this 0.9-mile segment has begun and are complete September 2024 after planting 50+ trees.
- Segment D – Van Buren Park to Denton Road and Beckly Road.
- Description: Out for bid opening in October with construction in early winter with completion in summer 2025.
Overall, the Van Buren Trail should be nearly 50% complete by the end of 2024.
Photos below show progress on Van Buren Trail Segment B.
