Little Miami State Park Latest Recipient of Improvements
June 11, 2014
Hikers and bikers on the Little Miami State Park Trail will benefit from capital dollars
LOVELAND, OH – Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director James Zehringer today announced capital improvements for the Little Miami State Park Trail that passes through four southwest Ohio counties and makes up the Little Miami State Park. These projects will be completed in phases and will be aimed at enhancing the safety and enjoyment of everyone that utilizes this more than 50-mile stretch of scenic trail.
“The Little Miami State Park Trail is a unique resource that not only benefits Ohioans fortunate enough to have it pass through their neighborhoods, but invites visitors from all over the state and region to visit this scenic treasure,” said Zehringer. “This trail is a tremendous asset to Ohio, and it’s incumbent upon us to continue to maintain it so everyone can safely enjoy it long into the future.”
Improvement projects will include:
- Shore up areas of slippage and fortifying shorelines to help prevent future incidents.
- Repair and repave areas of the trail as needed.
- Repair and replace guardrails and fences along the trail to increase safety.
- Replace storm water culverts.
- Renovate and rebuild bridges along the path.
The Ohio State Parks capital improvement projects, and others like them around the state, are made possible through the support of Governor John Kasich, Senate President Keith Faber and the Ohio General Assembly. Ohio State Parks received an unprecedented $88.5 million for capital improvements to strengthen the infrastructure and modernize facilities in the most recent capital budget.
This funding is not intended to expand Ohio State Parks, but to serve as a step toward improving and updating state parks for the enjoyment of every visitor. The department is committed to identifying the most immediate needs of Ohio State Parks and will continue to announce projects while moving through this process.
To assist in identifying key projects, ODNR is asking for visitors input regarding improvements within the Ohio State Parks system, by filling out a survey at parks.ohiodnr.gov/improvements. To date, the department has received more than 3,900 completed surveys.
Park improvement survey numbers indicate that the Little Miami Trail is one of the most requested projects with more than 120 requests by survey participants. The Little Miami State Park Trail makes up much of the 75 mile Little Miami Scenic which was named the best “Best Bike Trail in Ohio” for 2014 by the Ohio Magazine’s 2014 Readers Ballot.
Ohio is proud to be one of only seven states in the nation where admission to state parks is free. Last year, 2.3 million people spent at least one night in an Ohio State Park campground, cottage, cabin or lodge. By continuing to improve our state parks system, we have the opportunity to showcase our facilities and draw more tourism