Pere Marquette Rail-Trail partially closed starting May 16

Mon, May  16, 2011 - By Mike Muha

The Pere Marquette Rail-Trail will partially close starting Monday, May 16, for a re-surfacing project according to the Department of Natural Resources. The project will begin two weeks earlier than previously announced, which will allow the trail to reopen in early July, rather than the beginning of August.

This trail is used by rollerskiers and inline skaters, as well as by bicyclists.

The closed portion of the trail affects approximately 11 miles from Evart to east of Partridge Avenue in Clare County. The temporary closure will allow for asphalt re-surfacing and drainage improvements. (See map of Pere Marquette Rail-Trail - PDF).

The paving material used is a special mix that has proven to withstand the wear associated with snowmobile use. The project is expected to be completed by July 9. After completion, this project will provide a continuous 36-mile paved trail from Reed City to Farwell. The Michigan Department of Transportation is funding this project by a grant from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

For more information about Michigan's Rail-Trails, go to www.michigan.gov/dnrtrails.