Progress on the Fruit Belt Rail Trail
With spring just around the corner, construction on the Fruit Belt Rail Trail (FBRT) will resume March 5.
Crews will complete the remaining tree clearing and stump grinding between 9th Street and 6th Street. Once this work is finished, the project will move into excavation and grading, with the timing of that phase dependent on when seasonal frost laws are lifted.
Construction will include a 10-foot-wide crushed limestone non-motorized trail with trailhead parking areas, benches, a bike repair station, wayfinding signs, and distance markers.
The trail will remain open during construction, but conditions and access may be limited or inconsistent at times, especially during the final improvement phases.
A community grand opening celebration is planned once the work is finished.
A bit of history: between 1852 and 1924 the Fruit Belt Rail Line ran from Kalamazoo to South Haven, swinging south through the fruit-producing towns of Oshtemo, Mattawan, Paw Paw, Lawrence, and Hartford. Today, 14 miles of the original corridor are enjoyed as Michigan DNR’s Van Buren Trail, and communities along the remainder of the line are working to create a continuous trail across the whole corridor. This FBRT segment is the first section to be built in Kalamazoo County. When the entire Fruit Belt Trail is complete and connects with the existing Kal-Haven Trail, the two will form a unique, 70-mile loop of regional and statewide significance.
Please enjoy the trail while it is open and stay tuned for improvement updates and grand opening details!
Check out the Fruit Belt Rail Trail Master Plan for more exciting details!