Visitors to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will soon be able to again hike the entire Old Carriage Trail in northern Summit County.
The federal park announced on Thursday that it has received $2.2 million in federal funds to replace three now-closed pedestrian-only bridges on the trail in Sagamore Hills Township.
The badly rusted bridges have been closed to foot traffic since 2009 because the structures over deep ravines are unsafe.
The money will come this year and in 2017 from entrance fees collected at national parks through the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. The park has been competing for a portion of those funds for several years.
The new bridges will likely be designed this year and replaced in summer 2017, said park spokeswoman Jennie Vasarhelyi.
“Wow! That’s exiting news,” said Michael Kosmyna Jr. of North Royalton, president of the Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council, a grass-roots trails group.
“It’s wonderful. This is great news,” agreed Dave Burgan, 63, of Stow, a long-time trail volunteer.
Replacing the Old Carriage bridges is an important step because it will allow people to again hike one of the prettiest trails in the park, he said.
“We are really, really appreciative that the money finally came through,” he said. “That’s something people have worked really hard on.”
The three bridges — Rocky Run (spanning 150 feet), Twin Oaks (150 feet) and Hemlock (166 feet) — were built in 1989 for $319,400. They span ravines that are up to 80 feet deep.
The 3¼-mile Old Carriage Trail remains open, although its use is very limited. The trail begins and ends at two spots on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail north of West Highland Road.
The $2.2 million is part of $4.2 million from the National Park Service that the 33,000-acre federal park between Akron and Cleveland is getting to deal with deferred maintenance projects, including several bridge replacement projects.
Nationwide, national parks in 2015 have deferred nearly $12 billion in needed maintenance projects, a $440 million increase from 2014. That covers park infrastructure, bridges, roads, visitor centers, trails and campground delayed for more than one year. Aging park facilities, increasing use of park facilities and scarce financial resources contribute to the growing backlog.
Cuyahoga Valley’s deferred maintenance totals $40.8 million, officials said.
“At Cuyahoga Valley National Park, we do the best we can to keep up with routine and cyclical maintenance to keep our facilities in the best possible condition,” said Superintendent Craig Kenkel in a statement.
“However, some major infrastructure improvements cost more than is readily available through the National Park Service budget or partner funding support,” he said. “As a result, our maintenance staff continues to see a backlog of work. The good news is that in 2016 we have received funding to address some long-standing deferred maintenance projects.”
Other projects to be funded are:
• $515,000 to repair the Hillside pedestrian bridge over the Cuyahoga River near the Canal Exploration Center in Valley View. The project is underway and will be completed this spring. The bridge connects the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and the center. The bridge was closed in 2015 due to structural steel deterioration.
•$86,000 to replace the Brandywine Gorge Trail bridge over Brandywine Creek in Sagamore Hills Township. The bridge was washed off its foundation in a heavy storm in 2014. The existing bridge will be repaired and it will be placed on a stronger foundation to bedrock.
Getting the 165-foot bridge rebuilt will make the pretty loop trail one of the most popular in the park, Kosmyna said.
• $681,000 to replace three deteriorating steel bridges on the Towpath Trail in the park.
• $670,000 in 2016 and 2017 to improve six railroad crossings in the park.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.