This 1999 document was the concept for completing the Towpath Trail from old Harvard Avenue to downtown Cleveland and the Lakefront. It was refined by the 2002 Alignment & Design Study.

Linking the Corridor

A Plan for the Towpath Trail in the North Cuyahoga Valley

Cuyahoga River and Downtown Cleveland From Harvard-Denison Bridge Linking the Corridor: A Plan for the Towpath Trail in the North Cuyahoga Valley focuses on a proposed segment of the main bikeway in the Cuyahoga Valley from the northern boundary of the Cleveland Metroparks Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation to downtown Cleveland. This bikeway segment is an integral part of the 100+-mile bikeway network now in the planning and construction phases for the Ohio & Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor.

This document includes an inventory of existing conditions, an examination of route alternatives, description of neighborhood connections, and information on implementation strategies for development. The document makes extensive use of GIS-based maps and photographs.

Funding assistance for this project was provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act, administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the Ohio Coastal Management program of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Real Estate and Land Management. Additional funding assistance for this project was provided by the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission.

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Linking the Corridor (14.8 MB)
A Plan for the Towpath Trail in the North Cuyahoga Valley

Recreation of Ohio & Erie Canal Activity

Cuyahoga River north of Central Furnace

Cuyahoga River near LTV Steel

Towpath Trail, CVNRA

Cuyahoga River from the Carter Road Bridge

Download Individual Chapters

Cover (0.2 MB)

Introduction (2.0 MB)
This chapter provides background on the Ohio & Erie Canal and the Towpath Trail, the scope of this document, and linkages with other planning initiatives.

Chapter One (8.2 MB)
This chapter is an inventory of existing natural resources, environmental issues, and planning resources within the study area.

Chapter Two (3.5 MB)
This chapter provides detailed route alternatives, including location descriptions, property ownership, strengths, challenges, impact on land uses, design ideas, cost/expense, and neighborhood connections.

Chapter Three (0.2 MB)
This chapter outlines implementation strategies for development, including funding sources, partnerships with local resources, management, and maintenance.

Chapter Four (42 KB)
This chapter provides a brief summary of the project.

Appendix (0.6 MB)