The landscape along County Line Road in Westerville is changing with construction of a new pedestrian bridge on the Westerville B&W (Bike & Walk) recreational path system, a network of nearly 30 paved miles of community trails and pathways.
The 106-foot single span bridge offers safe passage for bikers, walkers, joggers and other path users to cross the busy intersection. Located just east of North State Street and west of McCorkle Boulevard, this section is also along the Westerville portion of the Ohio-to-Erie Trail, a statewide collection of multi-use paths and trails from Cincinnati to Cleveland following lands formerly owned by railroads and canals.
“The expanse and accessibility of the Westerville B&W is one of the most treasured amenities in our community,” says Westerville Parks & Recreation Director Randy Auler. “Our vision is to have the entire community connected by the pathways, so that you can enter and exit from multiple points and get around and across Westerville in a safe, convenient manner.”
BY THE NUMBERS:
$500,000
Grant dollars secured for the Westerville B&W Bridge, representing 27% of the project’s cost.
In fact, safety was among the most important factors considered when City planners explored the concept of the pedestrian bridge in this location. High usage along this location outside of the Hoff Woods Park area, just north of the Uptown district, caused concern for path users in busy traffic conditions.
“Public safety is always priority one, and from an engineering and traffic standpoint, we knew there was an opportunity to cross pedestrians and cyclists over the roadway rather than through it,” said City Engineer Susan Banbury. “It is also a great opportunity to create a new Westerville landmark that will be in place for generations to come.”
Visually, the bridge was designed with classic, ornamental features, utilizing materials that have long lifespans. The steel truss has a wooden deck that features a dense Brazilian hardwood expected to last 40 years with no chemical treatments. Concrete walls show a stone veneer. Some retaining walls are geowall, a synthetic material used in conjunction with gravel and topsoil that gives the finished product the appearance of vegetation.
Funding for the bridge was provided through a $500,000 grant through the Clean Ohio Trails Fund, administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The remaining $1.37 million local share includes costs for design, utility relocation and construction, budgeted utilizing tax increment financing (TIF) revenue in the City’s five-year capital improvement plan.
City Manager David Collinsworth said infrastructure improvements remain a high priority in Westerville as part of the voter-approved income tax restructuring initiative passed in 2008.
“We had an inventory of priorities for roadway improvements and infrastructure updates,” said Collinsworth. “With significant grant funding secured, the Westerville B&W bridge stands out as a great feature as we continue our momentum on these projects.”
When complete in May, the bridge will be a connector for local users and Ohio-to-Erie Trail tourists heading along the north/south corridor. Following this project, Westerville Parks & Recreation will be improving trail markers in this area and along the Westerville B&W so that users can better navigate and plan courses along the community network.
“Hosting part of the Ohio-to-Erie Trail in your community is actually a designation of some prestige,” said Auler. “There’s an economic development impact as well, particularly as we introduce trail tourists to our nationally recognized parks system or attract them to the historic Uptown district to rest, shop or eat. The community as a whole benefits.”
For more information, visit www.westerville.org/parks or www.ohiotoerietrail.org.
