Groundbreaking ceremony launches Chelsea-to-Stockbridge trail construction

L-R: Washtenaw County Road Commission Director Roy Townsend, Huron-Waterloo Pathways Boardmember Lew Kidder, and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Director and 5 Healthy Towns Board Member Coy Vaughn.

Article and photos by Matt Pegouskie

A groundbreaking ceremony on February 24 celebrated a new trail that will connect Chelsea to Stockbridge and the Washtenaw County Border-to-Border Trail. Stockbridge Parks and Recreation representatives joined with Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative (HWPI), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Transportation and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPARC) to mark the start of construction on a new segment of Washtenaw County’s B2B trail.

The 2.6-mile trail segment will begin just north of the roundabout at the intersection of Werkner Road and M-52, north of Chelsea. Running parallel to M-52, it will stop at Green Lake Campground in Waterloo Recreation Area and provide access to the DTE Mountain Bike Trail.

The 2.6-mile trail segment will begin just north of the roundabout at the intersection of Werkner Road and M-52, north of Chelsea. Running parallel to M-52, it will stop at Green Lake Campground in Waterloo Recreation Area and provide access to the DTE Mountain Bike Trail. The new segment will form part of the Iron Belle Trail, a major component of Michigan’s longest statewide trail network.

The non-motorized trail will be paved, 10 feet wide and Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliant. It will feature a separated pathway, intended to accommodate multiple types of users, including bikers, runners, wheelchair users and walkers. The new trail is anticipated to open in the fall of 2018.

The B2B was conceived by WCPARC as a planned non-motorized trail that begins in Ypsilanti and roughly follows the Huron River through the county to its exit in the northwest corner near Lyndon Township. When complete, it will connect Ann Arbor, Dexter, Chelsea and Stockbridge.

“This will be another important link,” said Molly Howlett, a member of the Stockbridge Parks and Recreation committee. “Stockbridge is a hub for several intersecting trails.”

B2B will ultimately connect to the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park to the north through both Stockbridge and near Pinckney.

HWPI works in partnership with WCPARC and countless other governmental organizations to facilitate the development of non-motorized recreational pathways in Washtenaw and surrounding counties. HWPI facilitates trail development by encouraging community engagement and raising private sector money. For more information about HWPI, plans for the trail and how to get involved, please visit huron-waterloo-pathways.org.

Stockbridge Parks and Recreation representatives joined with Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative (HWPI), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Transportation and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPARC) to mark the start of construction on a new segment of Washtenaw County’s B2B trail.

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