MANSFIELD — The tunnel beneath Trimble Road is waiting for its connector trail.
And that $2.1 million project — a 1.1-mile, multi-use path linking the Richland B&O Trail to Trimble — is set to begin this month as brush is cleared from the site, according to City of Mansfield engineer Bob Bianchi.
Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening is expected to vote to accept a $150,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as part of the previously announced funding package for the project.
In December, the Board of Control awarded a $1.9 million contract to Adena Corp. of Mansfield to construct the connector.
Adena also constructed the tunnel for $1.25 million, a project completed in October.
The $2.1 million connector project, including design contracts, inspection and required wetlands mitigation, is being funded by $900,000 in federal money through Richland County Regional Planning; $500,000 from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds; $450,000 from the Richland County Board of Commissioners through a jail services contract waiver; $150,000 from the state capital budget and $150,000 from ODNR.
In January, CTL Engineering from Columbus was awarded a $234,840 inspection contract for the connector trail work, an 11-foot-wide path that includes an elevated boardwalk, drainage structures and drainage improvements.
Once the connector is complete, the Richland County Park District, which operates the B&O Trail, will take over maintenance of it.
The Richland B&O Trail spans 18 miles and connects four of Richland County’s communities on its trek between North Lake Park in downtown Mansfield to the Village of Butler.
Part of the connector will go through land owned by the Western Reserve Land Conservancy District, which has granted access along the north side of the property.
Once the connector is complete, the public will be able to traverse the property, but will be asked to stay on the trail.
In other scheduled business Tuesday, City Council is scheduled to:
— authorize the public works director to enter into a contract to replace a culvert across Stanfield Run in Middle Park. Funds for the project will come from the city sewer fund.
The city plans to construct a new, weathered-steel pedestrian bridge at the south end of the park that will again connect the 23-acre park with Park Avenue West. The move would allow residents to once again be able to walk from North Lake Park — through Middle Park — and into South Park.
The crumbling, old sandstone bridge that once allowed cars to drive into the park from Park Avenue was removed in 2022, leaving a huge gap between the park and the road.
Vehicle accessibility from West Fourth Street ended in 2019 when a culvert under the road collapsed, rendering it unsafe for vehicle traffic. It is an easy walk into the park from Fourth Street, though parking is limited nearby.
— vote on the request from Aaron and Katherine Kosht to detach 9.554 acres from the City of Mansfield and into Washington Township.
— vote on the payment of $553.37 to Jeff Fairchild of 1824 S. Lexington-Springmill Road for damages to his Columbia Gas meter caused by a city mower in September 2024.
Council caucus is scheduled at 7 p.m. with the legislative session following immediately thereafter.
Local lawmakers continue to meet in Mansfield Municipal Courtroom 1 while council chambers is being renovated. Residents planning to attend should park in the upper lot off Park Avenue and enter through the Park Avenue entrance.
(Below is a PDF with legislation scheduled to be considered Tuesday evening by Mansfield City Council.)
