HOT Progress on the Trail !

Foreman Street @ Metric Manufacturing

A lot has happened int he past two weeks.   The good news is that there were no heat exhaustion reports from the Contractor  despite the extreme heat conditions over the past 2 weeks.  No time off for these guys, they just kept up the pace! (Thanks!!).    Here is the latest update.

Connection to Flat River Valley Rail Trail - The concrete material has been removed and a pathway has been cleared between the LARA trail and the beginning of the Flat River Valley Rail Trial.  We are still waiting for the railroad to come back and patch the road crossing and install new curbs for the City.

Cherry Creek Elementary

Metric Manufacturing and Cherry Creek Elementary - This section was paved late yesterday and look great!   Next step is to build the boardwalk over the culverts at Gee Drive.

Alden Nash -  This section has seen most of the activity over the past 2 weeks with every trade involved.  The auger piles were placed on the south end for the new boardwalk over the wetlands just north of Gee Drive.  These will be cut down to proper grade and then the framework for the boardwalk can begin.

LEGO BLOCKS

Just north of there, the work on the first of three retaining walls has begun.  This wall will be over 100 feet in length and will hold back the embankment to the east adjacent to the trail.

All of the required storm sewer and underdrains has been installed underground and preliminary work on grading the trail has begun.  The second of the three retaining walls is complete, but you can't see it as it is on the top of the wall is at ground level, holding the trail up from a steep embankment to the east.



The work on the large block retaining wall on Alden Nash, south of Foreman is complete except restoration.  This wall was constructed using large, heavy concrete blocks that clearly were made by the Lego corporation.  Maybe we should have gone with the red/blue/yellow color scheme! 

South Wall North of Foreman

Wege Easement South - Geogrid material was placed in the low areas to better support the trail foundation and the entire stretch was graveled up to the wetland crossing.  This area needs final touch up and will soon be ready for paving.









Wege Easement North - Good news!  The redwing blackbirds have calmed down a bit and are no longer keeping a round the clock watch on this section of trail.  A couple relocated to GR to reek havoc on our big brother to the west.  This section  was paved yesterday and looks great!

Morning Sunrise @ Wege Easement North

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Alden Nash West Section

Alden Nash West to High School - This area is now paved and looks great !!!   Lots of shade for the next hot spell.

High School North to Wittenbach/Wege - This was the first section to be paved and is being used!  The topsoil restoration guys dirtied up the nice black surface, but a good brooming and thunderstorm will make it new again.






Cat tails? -  If you've seen the "galvanized cat tails" in the boardwalk sections and are scratching your head, don't worry, it's OK.  Theses are the auger piles that will hold up the boardwalk sections.  When they are complete and properly trimmed, they will be much shorter, I promise....

Boardwalk Auger Piles

PINK ARROW CONNECTION -  The Lowell Area Recreation Authority Board took an opportunity to pose for a construction photo that will end up on their banner of support for this years version of the Pink Arrow Project, the Lowell area  breast cancer awareness initiative that has gained national attention.  We are excited about opportunties to include the trail in this exciting event that is scheduled this year for September 9th.

LOWELL AREA RECREATION AUTHORITY MEMBERS