NILES TOWNSHIP — Construction to complete phase two of the Indiana Michigan River Valley Trail began Monday, according to the township parks department.

Wightman Engineering and Hoffman Bros. Inc. will be on site at Brandywine Preserve to work on the trial.

The initial steps are to remove trees downed last season, and to grade the path in preparation for the installation of a bridge over Brandywine Creek and paving of the trail through the woods at Brandywine.

Finally, clearing and grading will be performed along the west edge of Third Street in preparation for the paving which will complete the trail.

Project planning and scheduling shows a completion date of Oct. 26.

The preconstruction meeting revealed that there will be intermittent single lane closures along Third Street in order to safely excavate and pave the crossings and trail way pathway.

A pre-construction meeting took place April 22 at the Niles Township Hall at 320 Bell Road. The meeting was attended by Niles Township trustees and parks commissioners, as well as the contractors for construction, Anlaan Corporation and Wightman Engineering. Others in attendance included representatives from subcontractor Hoffman Bros. Inc. MDOT and AEP.

Final contract details were reviewed and agreed upon for completion of the one remaining 1.05- mile gap in the IMRVT between South Bend and Niles.

In late March, township trustees voted unanimously to accept a construction bid from Anlaan Corporation for the cost of roughly $1.2 million. The Grand Haven-based construction company was the lowest of six bidders.

Completion of phase II Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail has been in the works since 2016 when the township was first recommended for state grant funding to help pay for the project.

The 1.2 mile-stretch will connect the Indiana State Line to Brandywine Nature Park, just north of U.S. 12. The trail is also planned to join the city’s trail at Fort and Third streets.