The planned bike path would go from Hazel Woods Park to Franklin Community Park by following Clear Creek and going under Interstate 75 to eventually link up with the Great Miami River Recreation Trail.
The project has been in the works for about six years according to Franklin City Manager Jonathan Westendorf.
The original cost of the project was $2.72 million, with the city’s share of the cost estimated at $700,000. The remainder of the project received nearly $1.98 million in federal funds through the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. Franklin also received a $500,000 Clean Ohio Trails grant to be used toward the city’s share of the costs.
However, on March 7, the Ohio Department of Transportation, which is managing the project, notified Franklin officials that the city would be required to pay an additional $1.26 million on top of the $494,843 in funds already committed. ODOT said the rapidly increasing cost of the prefabricated steel bridge structure required for the project was the reason for the additional project costs.
“The cost of the prefabricated steel bridge structure increased $700,000 alone in one week,” Westendorf said. “There is no way we could have anticipated a price increase like that.”
He said the span of the steel bridge structure will be about 320 feet long.
Because of this and other issues, ODOT’s new estimated total cost of the project will be more than $3.74 million, and the city’s local share went to more than $1.56 million.
To help mitigate the higher costs due to pricing volatility, MVRPC increased the federal grant by 10% or nearly $200,000. In addition, ODOT is allowing the city a rare exception to pay half of the local costs now and the balance in January, Westendorf said.
Westendorf said the city has been able to keep the project going, adding that other communities, such as Springboro, have been helping to identify possible funding sources to cover the difference.
“It’s very satisfying and gratifying the way Warren County communities work together,” he said.
In addition, he said Franklin has also reached out to state Sen. Steve Wilson to identify state funding that can be re-appropriated from other projects that were cancelled.
“We can’t turn down federal funding because the city could be penalized in the future,” Westendorf said.
As a long term goal, this project is an important segment of the overall Great Miami/Little Miami Connector Trail. The 10-foot-wide asphalt shared-use path includes a pedestrian / shared-use bridge to connect to Hazel Woods Park. Franklin City Engineer Barry Conway said the connector bike path is planned to continue east and tie into the Little Miami River Bike Trail, according to the Warren County Master Plan.
The project has been identified by the cities of Franklin and Springboro, as well as the MVRPC, as a key opportunity to provide a shared-use path connector between two of the region’s most utilized bike paths; the Little Miami Trail and Great Miami Trail. The Great Miami-Little Miami Connector Trail is listed on the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan.
The Clear Creek Bike Path Connector project is a segment of this overall connection to the trail system. It is also included in the City of Franklin Comprehensive Plan, Franklin Community Park Expansion Plan, and the Springboro Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
Springboro is working to connect their portion of this trail to the Medlar Trail in Montgomery County.
About the Author
