Pathway project bridges the gap

SANDUSKY — The project has spanned years — and, on Thursday, achieved a major milestone to link pedestrians with two land segments separated by water. About 100 people — from dignitaries to community members and even bicyclists — stopped out to take part in a dedication ceremony for the Sandusky Bay Pathway's newest section: a bridge. Behind Castaway Bay and Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que in Sandusky, the roughly 500-foot-long bridge connects an area over Pipe Creek from Cedar Point Drive to near Hemminger Ditch off Cleveland Road (U.S. 6). It's a critical component of the entire project: This marks the first and largest section along the pathway to cross over water. Those responsible for building the bridge — beyond city officials, this would include Mark Haynes Construction and Mannik & Smith Group — made sure it stood about 13 feet tall above its high-water mark. Given the shallow depth of this channel, vessels with a boat draft suitable for navigating that section of Pipe Creek should safely clear the bridge. Money for the bridge, estimated at $4.9 million, came from a $24.5 million federal grant, secured in 2022 through the U.S. Department of Transportation, also responsible for a planned overhaul of U.S. 6, which includes widening the road, adding roundabouts and creating a bike lane — essentially an extension of the Sandusky Bay Pathway — reaching Huron. U.S. Rep Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, helped obtain the grant. Piecing the pathway puzzle together Officials consider the Sandusky Bay Pathway as a multimodal trail. People can run, bike, exercise and use low-speed motorized vehicles, like certain classes of e-bikes, so long as they abide by city laws and respect other pathway users. First envisioned by city officials in 2006, past and present officeholders view the pathway "as a way to better connect downtown, neighborhoods, parks and the waterfront with a safe, accessible trail network," according to a city statement. "The vision gained new momentum in 2017 when the city updated its plans and began pursuing funding to build the pathway piece by piece." Since then, the city has completed pathway segments along Shoreline Drive, Venice Road, Meigs Street and East Water Street. Albeit segmented, the pathway totals about 5 miles today, which includes 2.2 uninterrupted miles. "The Hemminger Ditch-to-Cedar Point Drive segment is the latest addition with another section between Mills Street and Lions Park already funded for construction in 2027," according to a city statement, alluding to the local government recently getting a state grant to fund the 2027 construction work. By 2029, officials ideally want to create an uninterrupted 13-mile-long waterfront route, connecting Sandusky's west side to its east end, linking parks, piers, restaurants, hotels, businesses, wooded areas, nature spaces and more. Future sections are either under contract or in development. This would include at/near/along/down Lions Park, the Cove District, First Street, the Cedar Point Causeway and Cleveland Road, specifically leading into The Landing, a 27-acre waterfront park and nature space behind Sports Force Parks. As they've done, once officials receive money to improve a certain area, they'll embark on that portion. In other words, they've incrementally established the pathway as land and then funding has become available. Ideally, officials want to connect areas within and beyond Erie County, envisioning the pathway reaching 100 miles throughout Ohio. On Thursday, those from the Greater Sandusky Partnership announced the creation of a Sandusky Bay Pathway Coalition. It's a regional partnership of local governments, planning agencies, park districts, nonprofits and community stakeholders to help push the pathway's limits beyond Sandusky into neighboring communities and counties across northern Ohio. Most notably, in 2025, local officials announced a plan to rebuild the Old/Sandusky Bay Bridge in Bay View, establishing a pedestrian-only connection from Erie to Ottawa counties. "The Sandusky Bay Pathway extension is a bold step toward creating a regional trail network that redefines how people experience our region," said Jeff Kerr, director of planning and policy for Greater Sandusky Partnership. A look at The Landing The bridge will eventually connect pathway users to The Landing, a main pathway focal point. First planned in 2018 with a groundbreaking happening in 2025, officials expect to complete work on this $19.5 million initiative sometime in 2027. Officials stressed how it takes time to complete all tasks — acquisition, engineering, designing, securing funds and then building — in hopes of bringing this massive concept to fruition. Upon completion, officials labeled the public property "as an accessible shoreline and a key destination along the Sandusky Bay Pathway." As the eastern gateway to Sandusky's portion of the Sandusky Bay Pathway, "The Landing will link seamlessly with trail segments extending beyond city limits," according to a city statement. Beyond a bike path weaving through a frequently unexplored area of Sandusky, plans show crews building boat launches, a pavilion, a boardwalk, a playground and bridges. "People love nature, and getting to the waterfront, outlined in our strategic plan, is important for many people," city manager John Orzech said. "This is another part of achieving that goal of giving public waterfront access for our citizens and visitors." Speaking up Four officials deeply involved with the Sandusky Bay Pathway and its ongoing progress addressed attendees during Thursday's ribbon-cutting ceremony. Here's an excerpt from each speaker in order of when this person spoke: • "The Sandusky Bay Pathway is about connection, connecting our neighborhoods, parks, downtown and our beautiful waterfront. With the opening of this section, we now have 5 miles of completed pathway within the city, bringing us another step closer to fully connecting the pathway for our residents and visitors." — Kate Vargo, Sandusky ex officio mayor • "Today is one of those days that's especially rewarding because we get to celebrate the completion of something that has been in the making for nearly 20 years. Thank you to everyone who has played a role in making this project possible, and thank you for joining us to celebrate another important milestone for the city of Sandusky." — John Orzech, Sandusky city manager • "It's just great to be here and have been a partner with citizens who truly care about their community and about this country." — U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo • "This is an example of intergenerational and regional collaboration on a critical project that will connect nearly every community in the region to our greatest asset: Lake Erie." — Eric Wobser, Greater Sandusky Partnership CEO