Towpath Trail Article - April Edition
The Towpath Trail Partners made a strategic decision early to segment the Towpath Trail project into 4 distinct stages:Stage 1 – from current terminus at lower Harvard Avenue to Steelyard Commons
Stage 2 – Steelyard Commons (by others)
Stage 3 – Steelyard Commons to Literary Avenue in Tremont
Stage 4 – Literary Avenue to Canal Basin Park (terminus of Towpath Trail)
The guiding principles for the Towpath Trail/ Stage 3 included:Defining a safe, separated, off-road trail
Defining access points for nearby neighborhood residents
Providing a green buffer area between residential and industrial uses
Identifying interpretive opportunities
Towpath Trail – Stage 1
Current Terminus (lower Harvard Avenue) to Steelyard Commons
The consulting team in Phase 1 is led by the firm of DLZ.
The first stage between lower Harvard to Steelyard Commons looked at an alignment which would follow the Cuyahoga River from Harvard Avenue to ArcelorMittal Steel, where it would head west to climb over the CSX rail tracks (30 feet in air) to land at Steelyard Commons. In the one year when planners began to investigate the feasibility of this route, there were dramatic changes in circumstances: (1) CSX abandoned an old wooden bridge trestle that crossed the Cuyahoga River near the northern edge of the former Harshaw Chemical which led ArcelorMittal to reconsider the necessity to retain an elliptical rail track within their facility as it became the only interface with CSX – the outcome here is that the Towpath Trail would need to elevate over the elliptical rail track forcing an extended elevated structure that would add $ 6 - 8 million to project costs . (2) the area within ArcelorMittal used for slag storage and distribution that was targeted to move near I-77 would remain in operation and had grown in size – the outcome here is that trail users would be faced with airborne particulates as they rode or walked the trail section in ArcelorMittal between the Cuyahoga River and Steelyard Commons.
There is an old adage that goes: “when one door closes, another one opens.” In this case, the door that closed relates to the abandoned wooden rail trestle, while the door that opened was a route alignment that would follow the now-abandoned rail tracks through a wide corridor to Steelyard Commons. The corridor parallels both the Cuyahoga River and Jennings Road. The new alignment would provide an elevated trailway that would open views of an approaching downtown skyline framed by an industrial foreground. It would direct trail users through this unusual slice of Cleveland’s industrial heritage while securing movements to ensure safety and security.
The problem with this route is that a stretch of the abandoned rail track is within the footprint of the on-going Harshaw Cleanup. The timeline for free release of the contaminated property is 2015-18, a date beyond the current goals for the Towpath Trail completion in Cleveland. So, the question becomes: Can the Army Corps of Engineers change their methods and fast-track a cleanup of a portion needed for the Towpath Trail?
With this in mind, the Towpath Trail Partnership Committee is pursuing a dual-track. It will press the Army Corps and CSX for answers and actions to move the aforementioned alternative forward. In addition, the Partnership has asked our consulting team to explore 2 other options: (1) an alignment that parallels the same CSX tracks from lower Harvard Avenue to Steelyard Commons, and (2) an alignment that follows Harvard Avenue and Jennings Road to Steelyard Commons.
Towpath Trail – Stage 2Steelyard Commons
The section of the Towpath Trail has been built through Steelyard Commons by the developer Mitch Schneider of First Interstate. It provides a trail loop through the commercial complex with one leg following Steelyard Drive and another paralleling the rail corridor found to the east, behind the Commons. This alignment resulted from proactive dialogue with the Towpath Trail Partnership Committee and included recommendations from Cleveland Metroparks.
Some have questioned the “look and feel” of the stretch behind the commercial complex. While Mitch Schneider included the construction of the trails within his budget, including construction of 2 tunnels and valued at a cost of more than $1 million, he was not financially able to provide all the aesthetic improvements identified by the Partnership. Today, the Towpath Trail remains in private ownership. When this property is transferred into city ownership, it will open the opportunity to pursue government and private funding to enhance this area.
Towpath Trail – Stage 3Steelyard Commons to Literary Road in Tremont
This Stage is led by the firm of Michael Baker. There are exhibits that show physical planning concepts available on http://www.towpathtrailstage3.com/documents.asp. The following 5 sections depict the recommendations for the Stage 3 Towpath Trail alignment and include potential land use scenarios for an affiliated greenway.
Holmden Ave. to Clark Ave: Holmden Avenue crossing at-grade, continuing along the hillside and under the Clark Avenue Bridge towards Clark Fields. The crossing at Holmden Avenue benefits from an expanded greenway that allows closure of the road with cul-de-sacs at the top and bottom of the street. The hillside routing provides enhanced views while taking advantage of its natural setting.
Clark Fields: After crossing under Clark Avenue the trail skirts along the western perimeter of Clark Fields and I-490, slowly rising on an earthen berm that parallels the I-490/ W. 7th Street interchange. There are dynamic changes in this area as the entrance to Clark Fields is reconfigured to a single point of entry and exit from Clark Avenue. The plan also depicts two neighborhood trail connectors: from a small trailhead located at the intersection of W. 11 Street/Clark Avenue and from the w. 11th pedestrian bridge over I-490.
Valley View Bluff & W. 3rd Street Trailhead: The Towpath begins rising to an elevation to cross the heavily trafficked and dangerous West 7th Street near the on/off ramps for I-490 and rediscovers a plateau that provides commanding views of the Cuyahoga Valley and nearby Tremont neighborhood – ripe for interpretation. The trail descends into an area below the I-490 Bridge which could host a trailhead parking lot and another interpretive story centering on the history and impact of rail transportation.
Quigley / W. 3rd Street to Jefferson Ave: The Towpath follows the former West 4th Street corridor and offers trail users consistent views of the Cuyahoga River Valley and the approaching downtown skyline. The at-grade crossing of Jefferson eliminates the vehicular traffic while adding cul-de-sacs at the top and bottom, which could provide small parking areas for the adjacent commercial interests.
Jefferson Ave to Literary Ave: The Towpath approaches the terminus of stage 3 – a small trailhead on Literary Avenue. It can accommodate either an at-grade or elevated crossing of the street. That decision will be made in the planning for the final phase of the project in Stage 4.
Towpath Trail – Stage 4Literary Road in Tremont to Canal Basin Park
The final stage of planning for the Towpath Trail is underway as the Towpath Trail Partnership Committee has selected its consulting team, led by the firm of Michael Baker. This section will address a number of important issues, including (1) How the Towpath crosses Literary Avenue, (2) What is the alignment that parallels Railway? (3) How does the new Innerbelt Bridge affect the Towpath project? (4) Wherer is the alignment as it traverses the Scranton Road Peninsula? (5) How does it cross the Cuyahoga River and intersect with Canal Basin Park?
Some good news is that the project has been awarded a $3.175 million grant from Clean Ohio Funds to purchase needed right-of-way on Scranton Road. This acquisition has opened opportunities to pursue additional federal (Great Lakes Restoration Funds) and state funds (WRSP). Ohio Canal Corridor has worked with a dedicated team of partners (Cuyahoga County Engineer, City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks, Cuyahoga RAP, and Ohio EPA) to submit four grants totaling $7 million for funds to restore the properties to include new fish habitat areas.
