Anderson Trails
Overview of Anderson Trails
In August of 1999, The Board of Anderson Township Trustees passed Resolution 99-0715-03, which adopted the Anderson Trails Plan. This is a plan which establishes a bicycle and pedestrian network to serve the entire Township. The Trails will link community features such as parks, schools, libraries, etc. with the highest areas of residential density. The following policy is used as a guide for implementation of Anderson Trails projects. The Anderson Township Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) is the Citizens Committee that provided guidance for the formulation of Anderson-Trails, and the Committee oversees its implementation.
Anderson Trails/Walkways 2023 Update
Background and Policy Statement
ANDERSON TRAILS AND RELATED WALKWAY DEVELOPMENT
The 1993 Anderson Township Transportation Plan and the 1986 Sidewalk Plan identified the needs for walkways, bikeways, and trails to facilitate non-vehicular movement and provide ready access to locations such as schools, the post office, parks, retail centers, the library, recreational facilities, health centers, and public transportation. As a legacy of the Anderson Township Bicentennial celebration, the Anderson Trails concept was developed. This recognized the need and began the process to provide the links to connect desired destinations with areas which have existing walkways or are otherwise regarded as safe for pedestrians or bicyclists. Another goal of Anderson Trails is improvement of the quality of life and community spirit by allowing leisurely movement among neighborhoods.
Consequently, in 1999 the Anderson Township TAC and Board of Township Trustees prepared the Anderson Trails Plan to identify areas where the Township would construct future trails and other links. This plan would then try to tie in many residential areas, long existing as well as newly constructed, where sidewalks were constructed by the developer. In addition, zoning incentives are in place to require sidewalks on commercial property for new or substantial redevelopment (and encourage them in connection with other changes). Therefore, for best utilization of these existing sidewalks, links between them (i.e., Anderson Trails) are necessary.
The links that are most needed and advocated by the Anderson Trails Plan are along the older roads controlled by Hamilton County and which are principal parts of the roadway network for Township residents and businesses. To date, walkways along those important connections have been achieved only by Township-initiated action and funding. It is not the intent of the
Anderson Trails program to build walks within subdivisions. Also, while links along Beechmont Avenue are ultimately vital to this connectivity, it is anticipated that privately funded walks and hard surface connections between properties could be achieved by the Township cooperating with property owners, consistent with the Beechmont Corridor Plan.
The following statements shall serve as a guide for the incorporation or management of Anderson Trails walkways. As segments of Anderson Trails are developed, presumably to be followed by other public walkways and/or bikeway segments, it is necessary to have developed definitions and parameters to guide staff and reflect intent and institutional experience. It is expected that policy statements such as those listed below will form a cumulative reference and, when they become too voluminous for easy referral, will continue to be subsequently categorized and reorganized.
1. Anderson Trails is a network of walkways both within and outside of pre-existing rights of way. These walkways link public facilities and/or dominant features of the community and are intended to provide both a recreational opportunity and an alternative to motor vehicle transportation.
2. Once the Board of Township Trustees has designated the need for a walkway link between two or more features and a route has been identified, public funds together with donated resources, if available, will be used to acquire property or easements, construct a walkway of appropriate width and quality, and maintain the walkway in a safe condition. If a trail is designated along an existing sidewalk, the Township will assume financial responsibility normally only if this link is incorporated into a Trails project, such as the extension of the walk on either or both ends of the existing sidewalk segment. At this time, the Township will assume the costs of any upgrades to the sidewalk, as well as any future maintenance responsibilities, as the Township would have built the segment of walk if it did not previously exist.
3. Anderson Trails walkways will be constructed of cost-efficient material appropriate to the sites they traverse, including wood chips, gravel, asphalt and concrete. To the degree practicable and as required by law, the trails will be handicap-accessible. Routes for the Anderson Trails network will be recommended to the Township Trustees by the Anderson Township Planning and Zoning Department; construction and maintenance will be coordinated by and be the responsibility of the Public Works Department. 4. In situations where a developer contributes private funds to construct sidewalks off site from the proposed development, pursuant to the Anderson Township Trails Plan (Updated 2013), these walks shall be constructed and later maintained by the Township as Anderson Trails sidewalks, so long as the sidewalk links to an existing or proposed Anderson Trails sidewalk. 5. The Board of Township Trustees reserves the right to make exceptions to this policy on a case by case basis.
Trail Maps
Anderson Trails Map
Five Mile Trail Map
Five Mile Trail Rules
Current Anderson Trails Projects
Beechmont Sidewalks - As outlined in the Beechmont Corridor Plan, the Township is actively involved in the construction of sidewalks along the Beechmont corridor to help improve pedestrian safety and accessibility in Anderson's primary business district. Construction of the first major sections of sidewalk, those between Tallberry and Five Mile Road on both the north and south sides occurred in 2005 and 2007. Other sections of sidewalk along Beechmont have been constructed through a combination of private and public funds (those allocated through Tax Increment Financing funds for Beechmont improvements). Looking forward, engineering has begun on a segment that will be a priority along the south side of Beechmont Avenue, between Shangrila Drive and Forest Roads. These walks will facilitate pedestrian connections at the Five Mile and Beechmont intersection with the forthcoming Continuous Flow Intersection (CFI). Finally, future sidewalk construction will occur with private developments and the Township will work with property owners to create infill connections to complete the Beechmont Avenue sidewalk network.
Ohio River Trail - The Ohio River Trail is a 14+/- mile multimodal trail linking the City of Cincinnati from Lunken Airport through Anderson Township and terminating in the Village of New Richmond. With the guidance of the Ohio Kentucky Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI), and participation of each jurisdiction along the corridor, a yearlong study of this route concluded in 2000. This study identified the costs of various routes and identified a preferred alignment. While additional detail study of this corridor is progressing, each jurisdiction, including Anderson Township, is now moving forward with its own implementation strategy. Similarly, other jurisdictions are also studying and moving forward with segments within their community, but each working closely with the others as part of the Ohio River Trail Planning Committee. The first phase of the Ohio River Trail is a 1.4 mile segment in Anderson Township between Sutton and Five Mile Road, with the alignment on the north side paralleling Kellogg Avenue. It was built in 2010 and 2011. Anderson Township received a grant to complete preliminary engineering to determine opportunities and obstacles to implement the Ohio River Trail from Five Mile Road to the Clermont County border. The Township is building on that work by collaborating with the Ohio Department of Transportation to look at possible short term safety measures along US 52 until a trail construction design can be completed. The Township also is working with other government entities to coordinate efforts to complete this important regional trail system to the east and west.
Little Miami Scenic Trail - In the summer of 2008, Anderson Township and the Great Parks of Hamilton County received a Federal Transportation Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant to extend the Little Miami Scenic Trail south from the Little Miami Golf Center along a route paralleling State Road 32, to a new trailhead or future trail segment (coming north from Beechmont) at Clough Pike. This Regional Trail was constructed in 2015/2016. Regional efforts are continuing to construct a bridge across the Little Miami Scenic River to connect the Little Miami Scenic Trail to the Ohio River Trail. When completed the Little Miami Trail will become part of the Ohio to Erie Trail, one of the longest trail system in the United States. Great Parks of Hamilton County collaborated with Anderson Township and the City of Cincinnati was awarded another Federal Transportation CMAQ grant in late 2017 to construct a bridge over the Little Miami River to connect the Little Miami Scenic Trail to the Lunken Airport Trail and the Armleder Park Trail. Construction for that project is estimated to start in 2020 or 2021.
Anderson Township continues to work to connect the Five Mile Trail to the Little Miami Trail. The Township is exploring connections through the Turpin Hills subdivision and along the Newtown Road corridor.
Anderson Trails Completed Projects - Over the past decade, over 23 miles of Anderson Trails have been constructed, with the bulk of which occurring since 2009.