To improve public health and economic vitality, Michael Baker designed 1.9 miles of trail extension for the Towpath Trail in Cleveland, Ohio, linking residents to recreational parkland and commuters to downtown and local businesses. At the same time, it created a necessary connector for the statewide Ohio to Erie Trail, a 326-mile trail running from Cincinnati to Lake Erie. This required significant collaboration with local, state and federal agencies.
During the project, the team restored contaminated, post-industrial soil along the site, performed slope regrading, designed a trail overlook, pedestrian bridge and trailhead, and constructed a unique, sustainable stormwater management system that consisted of bioretention cells, detention basins, and a wetland.