TRUMBULL COUNTY Lordstown village officials face another change in bike trail plan

The latest route proposal could be crossing too close to MVSD buildings.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- If village leaders want to make a proposed bike trail a reality, plans will need to be changed once again, since the latest version presents some security concerns to the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District's board of directors.
To date, village officials have revised the proposed route 65 times. All of the plans for the trail featured routes that would travel from the center of Lordstown and hook up with a section of bike trail being constructed in Weathersfield Township and Niles.
The last half-mile of the path, however, has changed repeatedly for a variety of reasons, including Niles residents who had safety concerns and extreme increases in costs when certain routes called for the construction of bridges.
Newest route proposal
The most recent route proposal would lead from behind the village administration building on Salt Springs Road toward Weathersfield Township, but juts off the main road to follow power lines just before Austintown-Warren Road. From there, plans call for the route to follow the same easements used by Ohio Edison for the power lines, before it crosses MVSD property and hooks up with Niles' portion of the Lake to River Bike Trail on state Route 46 in Mineral Ridge.
Because of Homeland Security measures, MVSD board president Matt Blair said the latest route "could be a major issue."
Lordstown officials had presented the MVSD board Wednesday with a route that would have crossed onto MVSD property too close to plant buildings.
"It would create a need for extra security," added Ralph Miller, chief of security at the plant off of Salt Springs Road. "You would be bringing the public closer to a portion of the reservoir that we are trying to protect the most."
Received funding
The village has already received $1.1 million in state and federal funding for engineering and construction of the path. The village will be responsible for 20 percent of the engineering costs -- which is expected to run between $20,000 and $40,000 -- and none of the construction costs.
Timing is the issue now, Barnhart informed directors, saying the engineering must be complete by June 2005 so construction could begin in fiscal year 2007.
Blair and Chuck Richards, legal counsel for the MVSD, suggested Miller could work with Lordstown's bike committee at the village's cost to come up with viable alternatives for the route.
Lordstown officials are expected to discuss the matter at a future meeting.
slshaulis@vindy.com