Council debates grant, $1.2M trail proposal

Partnership, $250,000 grant could be in jeopardy

Avon City Council debates a proposed bike trail on French Creek Road following concerns from residents.

Avon City Council is continuing to debate a proposed bike trail on French Creek Road following concerns from residents.

On Aug. 10, council engaged in a lengthy discussion on the French Creek Greenway and how to move forward with legislation on the table for an engineering design plan.

The estimated $1.2 million project in collaboration with Sheffield Village and Lorain County Metro Parks would construct a 10-foot-wide asphalt bike trail from Detroit Road to the Sheffield Village line.

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) has approved a $250,000 grant in support of the project.

Jim Ziemnik, executive director of the Lorain County Metro Parks, encouraged the city to move forward with the project and use the NOACA funding.

The money could impact future grant decisions as communities around Northeast Ohio are competing for grants to improve multi-modal transportation infrastructure, Ziemnik said.

“NOACA definitely takes the proverbial shovel-ready kind of approach to things,” he said. “So, if you can go ahead and start implementation, you will have a better chance to continue to get funding.”

The Metro Parks philosophy has led to great success in this strategy in using grants and in investing in their communities, leading to greater success in the future, Ziemnik said.

The challenge in Lorain County is improving connectivity and providing easier access to get people to their parks, he said.

With the trails in the parks mostly built out, Ziemnik noted the challenge becomes improving access points.

“We are primarily a bunch of islands, if you will,” he said. “The mission becomes how do we take and connect those islands and still get people into our parks?”

Avon Mayor Bryan Jensen encouraged Council to move forward on the project following another reading.

There is overwhelming support for trails from residents, Jensen said, citing a recent community survey with over 600 responses.

Councilwoman Tammy Holtzmeier expressed concerns putting the trail in a residential area and removing 65 percent of the sidewalks in place.

Holtzmeier questioned whether it was an appropriate use of taxpayer money and if it made sense for the area.

Avon resident David Woolsey encouraged Council to move forward on the project.

Woolsey called French Creek Road the safest entrance and exit to Avon in the city.

He added he didn’t sidewalks and bike trails fit together and believed the project would encourage residents to be more physically active.

“It shouldn’t be petrol people against pedal people,” Woolsey said. “We all drive, too.

“We use our cars, but we also use our bikes.”

Other residents expressed concerns about dangerous vehicle speeds on French Creek and liability and maintenance concerns in front of their properties adjacent to the trail.

“NOACA definitely takes the proverbial shovel-ready kind of approach to things.” — Jim Ziemnik, executive director of the Lorain County Metro Parks