Bike trail project hits a detour

A proposed hiking and biking path project for Elkhart County today ran into a detour.

While $468,000 had earlier been approved to start buying property needed for the Quaker Trace Trail extension, today the brakes were applied and the project was sent back to the drawing board.

“The commissioners will work with the engineering firm to look at a couple additional alternatives. We’ll meet with the residents in August to share some of those alternatives, get some feedback from those folks,” said Elkhart County Commissioner Mike Yoder.

Some homeowners along the path of the project had complained that the trail would come too close to their homes and driveways.

“We’d love if there could be a solution. That there could be comfort for the property owners, that would be great,” said Paul Eash, President of Bike Elkhart. “Perhaps if the bike path could be a little closer to the road edge, you know, if that’s possible, any kind of compromise is great.”

Without objection, control of the project was officially handed over from the Elkhart County Redevelopment Commission to the Elkhart County Commissioners.