buzzOSU Bike Path Closures and Detours
Filed in News
Jun 3, 2010
From an email forwarded earlier today:
OSU is about to begin construction on what they call Phase 3 of the Olentangy Bike Path. They will totally rework the path near the electrical substation south of John Herrick Bridge – building a retaining wall into the river, widening and re-grading the path. OSU has also identified funds to conduct Phase 2 work which will move the bike path to the West side of Drake Union. This package will be going out for bid this summer and they hope to begin construction this fall.
These will be big improvements to the trail, but will bring with them the inconvenience of on-street detours this summer and fall. Expect barricades to go up TODAY!
Thank God.
good news
Good news, although I hope they plan to take out the “kink” just north of the bridge. I didn’t see anything that indicated otherwise.
Great news, not a real fan of the path in that area.
I hope they plan to do something about raising the bikeway under the bridge. It’s been flooded the last couple of days.
Thanks for the update. Good, relevant cycling info is much appreciated.
Rod – it’s a little too late to “hope” for (no kinks and flooding)if & once plans have already been designed, approved,funded and bid. Why not make your wise observations & specific desires known to the decision makers before? Talk or sit down with OSU (Stephen Volkmann, et al).
For example the Westerville W. Main bridge over Alum Creek being totally rebuilt by Franklin County ($5.8 mil contract just recently awarded to Kokosing)will include accomodating two new MUP underpasses and ramps. This was because of local activists, recognized groups, and stakeholders were long involved on public opinion process dealing with county engineers and city leaders several years ago and kept up ongoing discussion during the preliminary predesign and follow-up process.
Behind the scenes casual talk already underway with Franklin County regarding future Bexley-Columbus E. Main St bridge total rebuild over Alum Creek to let our bike/ped desires known.
Greenway trail flooding is to be expected when paths are built along same elevation of streams and rivers. Required underpass travel clearance height is often mandated by federal or state guidelines to allow headway room for emergency vehicles egress. Such was the case for Alum Creek trail below SR-104 near 3 Creeks Park. In the case of Schrock Rd it was an MUP retrofit so they weren’t going to raise the 5-lane bridge; but there are ramps on each side to allow users to cross over when flooding impedes below.
Well, it’s June 17 and they haven’t started yet. I wonder what’s delaying it? Anyone know?
I spoke with Steve Volkmann yesterday and as I understand it the construction on the Bikeway under and in the vicinity of the bridge is under way (I have not personally observed it). As to the recent flooding of the Bikeway under the bridge, there are no plans to raise the Bikeway, although Steve told me that he anticipates the low-head dam at Fifth Avenue being removed, which would alleviate the problem. As to the “kink” in the Bikeway between the Herrick Bridge and Drake Union, construction on the section of the Bikeway behind the Drake Union is due to begin soon, and it is my understanding that the “kink” will be taken out at that time.
Rode it last night, and the old bikeway was open all the way through. They’d torn it up in a few places between 5th and Lane to install new sewer manholes and just filled with gravel, but the roadblocks were all set off to the side.
The roadblocks were in place starting Friday.
Monday morning, you could still get through. As of Monday afternoon, however, they had started work on the trail, and you cannot get through now.
Rode it again this morning- path is closed from just South of the power station to just North of Drake. You can go around the East side of the towers and get back on the trail.
Once this is all said and done, is there going to be any safe way to cross from the path over Cannon to the Towers/Med Center area? My fiancee commutes to work on the path and used to use a bridge over Cannon at the Towers. As far as I can tell, they’re replacing the ramp to the bridge with stairs, thus stranding the bikers on the West side of Cannon.
Does anyone know the substation area work is on track to be complete on 9/20? And will the Drake construction start in the Fall or Spring?
Am I right in assuming that the Drake construction will not entail any serious detours? So once the substation construction is complete the path will be usable again? So—if the substation construction gets done more or less on schedule—my commute this fall won’t be a complete hassle?