This past winter, I posted an introduction to the Greater Springfield Friends of the Trail.  Our goal was, and still is, to help improve the trail situation through Springfield.  Since then, we have have held trail cleaning days, helped provide a welcome station for the Cross Ohio Bike Adventure, and most importantly, have made great in-roads in engaging local government, business interests, and law enforcement in our cause.  We’re working under the auspices of the National Parks and Recreation Division (NTPRD), who I have to say, has done an excellent job keeping the trails clean this past year.  Plus, the Transportation Coordinating Committee and the City have installed new bikeway signs to help riders navigate the sections of trail that are presently routed onto the streets in south Springfield.  We initiated a fund-raising drive this summer to leverage federal grant money to install trail signs of the same design as those in Greene and Montgomery Counties.  We hoped to get 10 new signs installed to help direct trail users through the city…...and it looks like we may get as many as 25!  Watch for them this spring.  As I said, local agencies have really stepped up. 

I met yesterday with Tim Smith, who has returned as CEO of NTPRD.  Tim is committed to finally completing the trail through south Springfield; in other words, moving it off the streets and onto or very close to the abandoned rail bed.  Riders have wanted this for years, and we see it as essential to improving the riding conditions and perceptions about traversing this section of the city.  Tim is spearheading an effort with the city to take advantage of external federal dollars, with the goal of completing the trail section in three to four years.  That may seem like a long time, but as these projects go, it’s pretty aggressive. 

I am writing to solicit your help.  Not in dollars, but in encouragement.  The city leadership wants to be sure that if they put forth the effort and resources to make this happen, that riders will use the trail.  I know all about perceptions of riding in south Springfield.  I’ve never had a moment’s trouble there, but I understand the concern.  GSFT feels that moving the bikeway off the streets and onto a dedicated trail, in combination with new signage, continued attention to cleaning, and greater presence of law enforcement and local riders, that we can make this a more welcoming section of the Little Miami Scenic Trail.  With increased use, comes better perception.  Springfield has a lot to offer as a destination or as a stopover between Milford and Urbana.  I hope you will talk up this effort among your riding friends.  I would appreciate seeing some posting of your comments that I might share with the city.  I would be happy to receive email comments directly, but I’m not sure about conventions of listing my address in a post.

Thank you all for your consideration.

Parker Buckley
President, Greater Springfield Friends of the Trail

I think this is a fantastic endeavor and I hope it works for the people of Springfield and the surrounding areas.  I am a member of the Dayton Cycling Club (DCC) and two or three times each year many of the DCC cyclists ride from Yellow Springs through Springfield to Urbana and we are/were not comfortable getting through Springfield.  I am also a Greene Co Trail Sentinel, and I don’t recommend that single riders go through Springfield, instead I recommend that if they can they go as a group.  Although, I must say I have had only minor problems when I have ridden through by my self, i.e., busted glass bottles on the trails, small groups of teenagers blocking trails or shouting obscenities at riders.  Riding through with a group I have had no problems.  I hope the organizations, politicians, and people of Springfield get behind this cause and make it happen.  Keep up the good work.

Sounds great!  I bet if it gets “cleaned up” there will be substantially more riders going through.

This is great news!

Dear Parker (and others in this string)

I applaud the GFST’s efforts to impove conditions on the Little Miami Scenic Trail in downtown Springfield. I am reprinting your post in its entrity on my November 2009 newsletter. You can find it (once it’s posted Sunday 15 November 2009) on my “Join My Mailing List” page at:
http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/join_our_mailing_list.htm#Trail Newsletters

Parker; do you think you can get NTPRD and Clark County Parks to work together on this?

Regards to all,

Thomas J. Recktenwalt
Webmaster
Miami Valley RailTrails
http://www.miamivalleytrails.org
Your Guide to the Multi-Use Trails in
the Miami Valley (Ohio)

That’s good news to hear!

I’ve spent about 15 weeks working in Springfield over the past 18 months and take my bike each time, but on the advice of local cyclists, I’ve always avoided going through town, even though there is a nice Heritage Center that bears displaying.  It would be nice to have decent/clean routes without either starting at the Hotels on Leffel and riding south to Yellow Springs or Xenia or going on the north side for a ride to Urbana!

Good luck!  I look forward to watching the progress!