Heads up, exciting Border-to-Border trail construction projects are underway. On July 8th, construction on two bridges that cross the Huron River in Dexter-Huron Metropark will begin. Paddlers and tubers on the Huron River Water Trail may be affected. Construction is expected to take several months. For most of that time, the river will still be passable. Safety buoys will guide paddlers and tubers away from the construction site so they can navigate the river.
We are expecting 2-4 complete river closures during the construction. The exact dates and times are yet to be determined, but closures will occur during non-holiday weekdays so that weekend and holiday river traffic are not inhibited.
Exact dates for river closures will be posted approximately a week in advance on the project page on the Washtenaw County Road Commission’s website. The project page will provide more detailed information and a way to sign up for ongoing project updates, including notifications of river closures.
The bridges are part of the ongoing construction of the Border-to-Border Trail that will eventually run from one end of Washtenaw County to the other and serve as part of the Iron Belle Trail, which is a statewide trail with a proposed 1,259 mile hiking route and 774 mile biking route.
While the construction can be frustrating, this section of Border-to-Border Trail (the B2B) will connect Dexter to Ann Arbor in deeply beneficial ways. Bicycle commuters will have a safer transit parallel to Huron River Drive, and once-connected to Ann Arbor, more people will be able to enjoy pedal out to the metroparks or Skip’s Huron River Canoe Livery in Delhi. Parking and traffic congestion may be reduced, and heat-trapping carbon emissions will be kept out of the atmosphere as more people opt for a safe bike route instead of taking a car.