The City of Kalamazoo has taken a decisive step toward building a non-motor path downtown.
On Monday commissioners approved construction contracts to extend the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail. The new path would close the approximately one-mile gap between the KRVT’s east and west trailheads.
Commissioner Jack Urban says he’s glad to see plans for a downtown connector come together after years of false starts.
“This has been a real struggle to get this trail designed and get rights-of-way assured from – right through a busy part of downtown,” he says.
The new section of trail is expected to cost about $960,000. A grant from the Parks Foundation will cover about 80 percent of the cost.
Parks Foundation President Jerry Albertson says the expansion will improve the trail system.
“Connecting the two ends of the trail will not only provide safety to the people that use the trail but it will also bring awareness to the trail,” he says.
The city says while it doesn’t have firm dates it hopes to build the trail connector this year.
For cyclists on the road the Kalamazoo City Commission is considering requiring a minimum passing distance between cars and bikes. The current proposal calls for three feet of space between a cyclist and a passing vehicle. On Monday several cyclists told the commission that five feet would be safer. The commission is expected to decide whether to change the proposal at its next meeting.
