NILES Deal to let city work on bike path

The agreement is the next step toward construction.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- The city and state will now officially work together in the development of the Niles Greenway Bike Path.
Council gave its blessing Monday to a resolution allowing Mayor Ralph A. Infante to enter into an agreement with the state director of transportation regarding administration of the path.
It's just the latest in a long line of steps toward construction of the path.
"We're looking at starting construction sometime in 2005," said Councilman Stephen Papalas. "This ordinance certainly boosts it along."
Niles is working as the lead agency in getting the bike bath constructed from the Mahoning-Trumbull County line in Weathersfield Township to Church and State streets downtown.
Earlier this year, the city used almost $230,000 in federal funds to have the Ohio Department of Transportation buy a stretch of abandoned railway that will become the path.
The plans call for a 10-foot-wide asphalt trail stretching 4.75 miles into Trumbull County from Mahoning.
Funding
Since federal money is being used, a state agency -- such as ODOT -- must be the administering agency. The resolution approved by council makes the agreement formal.
More federal money, granted through the Ohio Highway Department and the local Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, will be used to pay for engineering and construction.
About $200,000 has been approved for engineering, and $1.5 million is set aside for construction.
Niles and Weathersfield Township will provide 20 percent of the total costs, to be split between the communities on percentages of how much of the trail lies in each community.
slshaulis@vindy.com