For the past few months, developers involved in the completion of the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail have been hard at work.

On Monday, residents will have the chance to look at their progress during an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. at Niles Township Hall, 320 Bell Road.

“It would be great to hear from the public [and see] the kinds of things they are seeing with other trails,” said Jill DeLucia, the chairman of the park commission.

Members of the Niles Township Park Commission will be in attendance, in addition to trail engineers from Wightman and Associates Inc. and Marcy Hamilton from the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission. The public is welcome to examine the trail’s phase two construction plan and provide feedback or ask questions. Light refreshments will be available.

Lead trail developers met in March to kick off phase two planning for the 1.2 miles of trail. When completed, the Indiana-Michigan River Valley trail will close a gap between the Indiana State Line, Brandywine Creek Nature Park and ethe city of Niles. The trail will be the first to connect Michigan and Indiana.

“That is one of the things that is unique about the trail,” DeLucia said. “It is a collaboration across state lines.”

Besides a walking path that winds through the scenic woods and natural landscape of southwest Michigan, trail users will have access to three trail heads, where a map, covered seating area and barcode for more information can be found. Other trail features will include audible cross walking and flashing yellow lights at intersections.

Tree removal was originally slated to begin this summer, but due to the nesting habits of the Northern Long-Eared Bat, the tree removal phase of the project will be completed this winter, when the bats will not be nesting.

Construction for the project is targeted to begin March 2018. Developers anticipate the trail to be ready to use by November 2018.

The open house marks another important milestone in the project’s completion, DeLucia said.

“Everything is falling in place to complete it concurrently with folks in Indiana,” she said. 

The trail project was originally recommended for grant funding in December 2016 and approval was announced earlier this year. MDOT will contribute approximately $500,299, which can be applied to all costs except for engineering. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund is expected to contribute approximately $300,000 and the committed local match from the Niles Township is expected to be about $135,000.

DeLucia encouraged residents interested to visit the open house.

“For folks that are curious about the real nitty gritty of the trail, they can ask any number of questions,” DeLucia said. “I think seeing the overall picture and seeing how Niles Township is part of the big picture will get excited and hopefully [encourage them to] get out and explore that part of the trail.”