Places to go & Things to do

Summer in Downtown Covington Railroad Overpass


 

Bikeway

Safe Routes to School

2010 Status
 

January 21, 2010 Covington received notice from the Ohio Department of Transportation that they have been selected for funding through the Ohio Safe Routes to School program. The Covington Bikeway SRTS subcommittee consisting of Police Chief Lee Harmon, Middle School, Principal David Larson, Coach and teacher, Steve Dunn, Board of Education VP Brad Hall, Joe Paxson and Covington-Newberry Historical Society, Bikeway committee chairman/Trail Manager, Jay Wackler, have until April 2, 2010 to complete a second round of forms. This will encumber Federal funds for the Engineering plan and budget for up to $500,000.00 for implementation of the plan in 2011l

SRTS is funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). The Ohio SRTS Program supports projects and programs that enable and encourage active transportation like walking and bicycling to and from school.

The Ohio SRTS Program funds two types of countermeasures in five categories:

Infrastructure Projects

1. Engineering
Operational and physical improvements within 2 miles of schools that establish safer and fullyaccessible crossings, walkways, trails and bikeways as well as planning activities.

School Travel Plan Development
Plans developed in this category will be used as a guide to program implementation and as a guide when applying for funds from any category.

Non-Infrastructure Projects
2. Education

Education projects are those that primarily focus on personal safety as well as the mechanics of walking or bike riding to and from school

3. Encouragement
Encouragement projects will encourage and focus on the benefits of walking or bike riding to and from school

4. Enforcement
Enforcement of traffic laws and initiating community enforcement such as crossing guard training programs

5. Evaluation
Monitoring and documenting outcomes and trends through the collection of data, including the collection of data before and after the countermeasure. This information is critical to the longevity of the program, and required for every project.

 

 
Phase One
  Covington, Ohio is in the perfect location for people to enjoy life in a rural Village setting. Covington is located
in the center of an area populated by Bradford, Newton, Piqua, Troy and Versailles Ohio citizens. Covington is at the
intersection of three major State highways, Route 36, Route 41 and Route 48. Covington is also the intersection of the
Greenville Falls and Stillwater rivers and is between three nature reserves, Blankenship, Greenville Falls and Stillwater
Prairie Reserve. Covington is a thriving community with an excellent School system and a growing industrial park.

A new opportunity is facing Covington, Ohio. This opportunity is in the form of a bikeway that will follow the present
unused Rail Road tracks/path from Urbana, Ohio through Piqua up the Scenic Stillwater River through Covington to
Bradford on to Greenville, Ohio and Indiana.

It is the ultimate goal to provide an alternate route for ingress and egress transportation in the event of an emergency.
This Phase One trail will start and end at the Bridge Street Bridge parallel the Stillwater River on the West side to the
Rail Road overpass of the Stillwater River (.7 Mile). From the intersection of the Scenic Stillwater River and the Railroad
overpass the trail will turn West and follow the old Rail Road property on the South side to the Range Line Road (.7 Miles).
This Phase One section of the connector (1.4 Miles) will connect with the end of the Piqua Trail and continue on to
Bradford in other Phases (Total 12.2.Miles). This trial should provide transportation for Walking, Running, Bicycling,
Wheel Chairs, Horse Back riding and Horse Drawn Vehicles.

It is believed that the combination of the West Central Ohio Historical Trail and the Scenic Stillwater River Trail will
stimulate outside-county participation in recreation not only on the trails but with the following;
  -    Canoe Rentals
-    Rickshaw Type Bicycle Rentals
-    Bike Rentals
-    Bike sales and repair
 -  Horse Drawn Carriage rides
-  Picnic Lunches
-  Picnic Tours
-  Senior Tours
    o Horse drawn carriage    
    o Bicycle rickshaw rides    
    o Wheel chair walks    
    - Cross country ski rental    
    - Additional business with our current retailers.    
    o Miami County Dairy    
    o Flowers for Weddings on the Scenic trail and Scenic River
    o Exposure for people to return and purchase furniture and antiques
    - Bed and Breakfast business opportunities.
    - Increased real estate values.
    - Weddings on the River.
    -  Photo “moments” for all occasions.
    Ice Skate and Skii rental
    Winter Sports
    Sleigh Rides
    Snow mobile
    Cross Country Skiing
Miami Valley Comprehensive Local - Regional Bikeways Plan
MVRPC
Other Bikeway links
  Miami Valley RailTrails
www.miamivalleytrails.org
America by Bicycle
A local family of bicycle enthusiasts alertly welcomed the cross country America by Bicycle riders that went through Covington Thursday, July 10 2008. Go to http://www.abbike.com/cgi-local/Journals/CCC08/CCC08Journal5.cgi and look up Day 40. You will find a picture of two of Covington’s finest children welcoming the America by Bicycle group. If you look closely you can see their father (Steve) sitting in the background. I hope when this happens the next time we are more prepare as a community and more of us may welcome them to our village. One of these days they will be able to enjoy our beautiful bike path (recreation trail).