Niles City residents have a few things to look forward to in 2013, including a couple of road-paving projects and the likely progression of an ongoing trail system project that, when finished, would connect Niles to South Bend, Ind.

Ric Huff, city administrator, said the city is planning on completing two pavement projects this spring. No paving projects took place in 2012.

The first would be in the 1500 block of Silverbrook Avenue, while the second would be on South 5th Street from Broadway to Michigan.

(Silverbrook) is in pretty poor shape,” he said.

Huff also said there are encouraging signs for the Niles and Niles Charter Township trail system.

“It appears, even though we can’t really announce that the funding has been awarded, it appears that it’s likely,” Huff said.

Around $1.1 million in grant monies have been spent so far on the Riverfront Park project and trail system within the city, Huff said. Niles and Niles Charter Township have been working together to secure grant money to extend the multi-use trail south of city limits to the state line.

“If everything stays on track … by 2017, there should be a trail that extends from the north city limits through South Bend/Mishawaka about 30 miles long,” Huff said.

As for industry, Huff said there’s the possibility of private business construction in 2013.

“Maybe one or two business on South 11th Street and another business up by the YMCA/Plym Park area,” Huff said. “So that’s encouraging that it looks like there’s investment that is likely to occur in the city.”

The city also needs to complete three plans in the New Year — the city’s master plan, recreational plan and HUD five-year consolidation plan.

“They seem kind of simple on the surface, but they are really quite time consuming to put together and get consensus from all your elected officials on the direction you want to head,” he said.