Pathways Keep Growing

Pathways-Keep-Growing-1You can get further on foot in Valparaiso these days as the city adds more than a mile to the pathway network this year. By the end of 2012, the city will boast 11.5 miles of pedestrian and pedal-friendly pathways and looks to have 15 miles by 2014.

Valparaiso is one of the leaders in our area in terms of pathways. We see them as miles of linear parks and our goal is to provide a grid connecting our city,” said John Seibert, Parks Director. “Once we accomplish that, which should happen in 2013, we’ll start working outward to connect to the regional trail system,” he said.

The Latest Links:
Here are the pathway links that will be added in 2012:

  • Silhavy Road from the new roundabout south to LaPorte Avenue
  • Completion of the Glendale Boulevard pathway that began last year, from the corner of Silhavy Road to Roosevelt Road
  • Roosevelt Road south of Evans Avenue to the Canadian National Railroad tracks
  • A section of Evans Avenue from Calumet Avenue to Franklin Street

Pathways-Keep-Growing-2The Next Steps

  • In 2013/2014, the city will add pathways, including:
  • Extending the Vale Park pathway to run between Campbell Street and Westside subdivisions to Windsor Park
  • A link from the bypass at Vale Park Road to the planned roundabout at the five-points intersection of Roosevelt Road, Calumet Avenue and Vale Park Road
  • Campbell Road from Ogden Gardens to Lincolnway
  • Sections of Lincolnway and LaPorte Avenue near the existing hospital

Footing the Bill
Much of the funding for pathways has come from the city’s Redevelopment Commission, along with grants. A $780,000 federal grant through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) is funding the Keystone/Windsor Park pathway and the segment on Evans Street is funded as part of the stormwater project.

Find Your Favorite Route
Maps of the city’s pathways are available on the city’s website valpo.us by clicking “Parks” and searching for “walking routes” or at the Parks offices at 3210 Campbell St.