The Lake City Greenway steering committee has made a proposal for a route that will connect Warsaw's Chinworth Bridge Trail and Winona Lake's Heritage Trail.
Gisele Cox, community development coordinator, presented the proposed route and a map to Warsaw Traffic Commission members during Thursday's meeting.
In 1997, the Lake City Greenway steering committee was formed to begin exploring the possibility of a bike trail in Warsaw. In 2003, the Beyer Farm Trail was completed.
The greenway trail is an eight-mile multi-use trail for bicycling, walking, jogging, running and rollerblading, connecting Warsaw and Winona Lake that opened May 4.
Warsaw's current Chinworth Bridge Trail connects the Chinworth Bridge to the City-County Athletic Complex and the city of Warsaw. It begins at CR 350W and Old 30, and ends at Zimmer Road. It is 1.9 miles long.
Winona Lake's Heritage Trail begins at the corner of King's Highway and Park Avenue and ends at Roy Street. It is 1.8 miles long.
The Lake City Greenway steering committee met and voted May 21 to pursue the development of a proposed route for the greenway that would connect the two trails.
Cox said planning for the route to connect the two trails is in its beginning stages and the committee is seeking input on the proposed route.
"The proposed route is only in its beginning planning stages because we realize there are a lot of considerations to take into account such as safety," Cox said.
The proposed trail will begin at Zimmer Road where the Chinworth Bridge Trail currently ends at the south end of Zimmer's parking lot. The route would go south on Zimmer Road, east along the north side of the railroad tracks behind Zimmer, crossing over to West Center Street at a point to be determined either by Zimmer or Midwest Rake.
The proposed route would continue east on the south side of West Center Street, crossing over the bridge at Walnut Street, staying on the south side of Center Street, and making the switch at the intersection over to the south side of West Market Street.
It would go through downtown Warsaw, continue east along the south side of East Market Street going south on McKinley Street, extend under the viaduct at the old Gatke property, crossing over to the south side of Winona Avenue, then east to Park Avenue in Winona Lake and the beginning of the Heritage Trail.
"The committee feels this is the safest and most direct route," Cox said.
She said the committee considered several concerns and alternatives, including eliminating on-street parking east of the railroad tracks along East Market Street and the possibility of a four-way stop at Jefferson and McKinley streets.
Other considerations included accommodating a bike lane and the size of the bridge over Walnut Creek; public perception; acquisition of easements behind Zimmer on the north side of the railroad track; and the trail crossing through the downtown with signage and footprints.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said the committee considered getting rid of on-street parking along the south side of Market Street to accommodate a bike path.
Commissioner Ann Sweet said she may not be comfortable with young bicyclists using the trail through downtown along Market Street by themselves.
Commissioner Joe Thallemer suggested using streets less traveled by vehicular traffic, such as Main and Fort Wayne streets, instead of Market Street to accommodate the bike path.
Skinner said the committee selected Market Street as a route for the bike path because vehicular traffic is more controlled than on streets such as Center, Fort Wayne and Main.
Skinner said he and Cox will inform the greenway committee of the commission's suggestions and come back to the commission with a proposal for a greenway route.
