Friends of The Border To Border Trail

Dedicated to completing, enhancing, and encouraging the use of the Border To Border Trail in Washtenaw County, Michigan

The Border To Border trail, of which major segments have been completed, will span across Washtenaw County, roughly following the Huron River. The pathway will connect communities, parks, and educational facilities, and be approximately 35 miles in length. In addition, other facilities, such as bike lanes, will connect into the Border To Border trail, helping create a larger non-motorized network in the County.

And while the Border To Border trail was originally thought of as a recreational pathway, in times of rising energy costs, the facility is being used more and more for non-motorized transportation. Segments already completed allow users to go from Ypsilanti to Ann Arbor completely off street, and in doing so passing immediately next to Eastern Michigan University, the University of Michigan hospital, Washtenaw Community College and St. Joseph’s hospital.

About the Friends Of The Border To Border Trail

Started in 2008, the Friends of the Border To Border Trail are a group of individuals working to see that the Border To Border Trail is completed, maintained, enhanced and most of all, used. While completely independent of government bodies and other organizations, the Friends of the Border To Border plans to work closely and positively with entities that are involved with the path.

Short-term plans for the Friends of the Border To Border include…

  • Sponsoring and/or promoting bicycle rides and walks along sections of the Trail.
  • Sponsoring cleanups of Trail segments.
  • Lobbying governmental units to complete, or enhance, segments of the Trail.
  • Expanding distribution of Border To Border trail maps.
  • Maintain an active webpage and email discussion group.

Join The Border To Border Discussion Group

Join the Google-based Friends of the Border To Border discussion and news group. By subscribing to the group, you will be informed of new Border To Border developments, how to take steps to improve the trail, and also events taking place involving the trail.

Anyone can join the group by visiting http://groups.google.com/group/border-to-border.

New & Events

Eastern Michigan University Segment To Be Upgraded

The Border To Border trail segment in Ypsilanti from Cornell Street To Hewitt Road will be completely reconstructed in the summer of 2008 as a joint project of Eastern Michigan University and the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. The segment is a former railroad line that went from Ypsilanti to Saline and over the years has seen a steady breakdown in the pavement surface. The segment is almost an urban oasis, heavily tree-lined and a wildlife haven. Besides numerous birdlife, users can at times see fox and deer along this one-mile segment. Once the reconstruction is completed, a grand re-opening ceremony is planned.

Border To Border Signs/Markings

Work is being done to increase the quantity of signs marking the Border To Border trail, especially in more developed areas of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Ypsilanti Township. The goal is to have markings sufficient enough that a person can follow the path without a map. These markings for the most part will be done with smaller “B To B” signs, but also may be backed up with pavement markings. In addition, larger Border To Border signs, containing maps, will be placed at major trail junctions.

Those “Confusing” Segments

Governmental bodies actively working to complete the Border To Border trail realize there are major gaps, or downright confusing, segments of the path that need to be improved or moved. In a few places, namely the City of Ypsilanti, there are temporary segments that in the future will be replaced with a more permanent routing. Some of these segments need more comment:

Ann Arbor – Bandemeer Park: The City of Ann Arbor has developed a very nice paved section of the B to B in Bandemeer Park with the plan being to have the north end of this path continue along the Huron River by a tunnel under a set of railroad tracks and then connect up with Huron River Drive.

Ann Arbor – The “Mill Race”: Just east of Argo dam, the B to B trail runs along a narrow, unimproved top of a former mill race. Future plans call for this segment to be either improved dramatically or have the B to B moved to a different route.

Ypsilanti – Currently the Border To Border trail goes east along Ypsilanti’s Huron River Drive with a wide path merging into a sidewalk at the corner of Huron River Drive and Leforge Road. From there, the Ypsilanti segment snakes through Ypsilanti using surface roads until it again merges into a dedicated non-motorized path on the west side of Grove Road in Ypsilanti Township.

Eventually, the Ypsilanti segment of the B to B will take users through Frog Island and Riverside parks, and then under, or over, Michigan Avenue and then along the Huron River through the Water Street development area into Ypsilanti Township. The timeline of this segment is currently uncertain as actual trail segment construction north of Michigan Avenue is contingent on actual residential/commercial development in the Water Street area, of which the City of Ypsilanti is working diligently on. As a sidenote, repaving and improvement of the eventual permanent section of the B to B through Riverside and Frog Island parks is expected by 2010.

Ypsilanti/Ypsilanti Township Connection – There presently is a very confusing segment of the B to B trail along Grove Road that the Friends of the Border To Border is urging all parties to adopt as a priority. Right now, trail users must use a combination of sidewalks and bike lanes to transition from the City to the Township. The Friends is urging that a dedicated non-motorized path, 10 feet wide, be extended from the existing B to B path on the west side of Grove Road north of the I-94 bridge, along the west side of Grove Road northbound to Spring Street.

Ypsilanti Township – Eastern Segment: Currently the B to B effectively ends at the corner of Grove and Bridge Roads. A long term plan is to have the trail go south along Bridge Road, through North Hydro Park and the north shore of the Huron River to Rawsonville Road.

Dexter Improvements

During the summer of 2008, the Huron-Clinton Metropark Authority will be constructing a new segment of the Border To Border trail through Hudson Mills Metropark from Territorial Road south along the west side of the Huron River approximately half way to Dexter. Current plans are by 2010 to connect this segment further all the way in to Dexter.

Events

In the future, events sponsored by the Friends of the Border To Border Trail will be posted here that involve bicycle or walking trips along the B-to-B trail.

Other groups currently having bicycle trips along the Border To Border Trail include:

Bike Ypsi – First Saturday of every month, April though November, 9am, Ypsilanti Farmers Market, Rice Street in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town. A one-hour or less ride west through Border To Border segments of Eastern Michigan University and St. Josephs hospital. Slow to moderate pace with helmets required. For more information, visit www.bikeyspi.org.

Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Club – Occasional rides on the Border To Border trail. Visit the Club’s website at www.aabts.org and click on the “Ride Calendars and Events” link for times, dates and location of ride starts. Helmets required. Rides open to everyone, Club member or not.

Maps

Border To Border Eastern Segment maps (Ypsilanti & Ypsilanti Township) are currently available free of charge at:

  • Ypsilanti City Hall – City Clerks office (in the main entrance), 1 South Huron, Ypsilanti
  • Ypsilanti Cycle, 116 Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti

Maps are also available online:

Links

This web page is produced through the generous help of the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition .