Belle Isle's new bike path completes one end 2,000-mile Iron Belle Trail
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Trail loops around Belle Isle Park and is the first stretch of the Iron Belle Trail from the southern terminus, or what is known as the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Gateway.
BELLE ISLE, Mich. (FOX 2) - The longest state-designated trail in the U.S. just got a little longer with the completion of another stretch of the Iron Belle Trail.
The network of paths envisions a continuous, unbroken pathway stretching from Belle Isle in Detroit to the western end of the Upper Peninsula. The latest slice of trail finished means that 70% of the trail is now complete.
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The Department of Natural Resources in Michigan announced the state had finished a 5.8-mile trail that includes a newly-finished park along the Detroit River.
The particular segment completes the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Trail on Belle Isle, which connects it to the Detroit riverfront and adds to what will eventually be a 2,000-mile continuous trail.
It also completes another portion of the ongoing work on the Joe Louis Greenway, which will provide a looped pathway around Detroit, through Hamtramck and Highland Park, and by several landmarks in the city.
This stretch marks the beginning of the Iron Belle Trail, known as the southern terminus.
Using existing trails, networks and new connections, the Iron Belle Trail extends more than 2,000 miles from the far western tip of the Upper Peninsula to Belle Isle in Detroit, with a route for bicycling and a route for hiking. It is the longest sta
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Combined, construction of the Ralph Wilson Jr. Gateway and the trail cost $10.5 million, funding from a variety of sources and grants including the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.
The path caters to cyclists with a two-way track.
A previous mobility study on Belle Isle recommended adding more bike options.
Completion of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Trail and two-way cycle track are among many improvements resulting from Belle Isle Park Multimodal Mobility Study recommendations.
The Source: A news release from the Michigan DNR was cited while reporting this story.