Trail work nears completion

By TOM STANKARD

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Bessemer — The finishing touches are being made on Phase 2 of the Western Gateway Trail that will stretch from the Ironwood city limit to Bessemer by the end the construction season in October.

The authority governing the trail learned Wednesday paving of the trail is complete all the way to the end of Phase 2 on Moore Street, according to Coleman Engineering’s Paul Anderson. Also, the observation decks are complete, he said.

Work on fencing the trail where necessary is in progress. Meanwhile, work on the bridges along the trail is on-going. Anderson said furniture, such as benches, is going to be installed soon. Concrete ramps at roadways are also scheduled to be completed soon, he said.

The current contract completion deadline is Oct. 12, according to Anderson.

Ironwood Chamber of Commerce Director Michael Meyer congratulated the authority for the “rapid” completion of the trail.

“This trail system is going to be a big pull for this area,” he said.

Meanwhile, the authority is negotiating Phase 3 of the trail extending to Ramsay.

In Bessemer, they are continuing to talk with Pat Steiger to allow the trail to pass through his property on the western end of the city.

During the Aug. 17 meeting, authority member Robert Coleman said Steiger pulled his property “off the table as long as Kathy Whitburn is mayor.”

From Ramsay, the fourth and final phase is expected to extend the trail to Sunday Lake in Wakefield.

Once completed, the trail is expected to be the western end of the Iron Belle Trail — which will run to Belle Isle in Detroit.

The Friends of the Iron Belle Trail, which helps maintain the trail, will have a fall planing meeting today at 6 p.m. at the Ironwood Memorial Building. On Saturday, Oct. 1, the group will host a fall trail cleanup day from 8 a.m. until noon. Food and refreshments will be served.

Then, on Monday, Oct. 24, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Phase 2 of the trail beginning at noon.