Last Update: May 1, 2008

The Romeo Observer, Apr.30, 2008 - Pedestrian bridge scheduled for completion in July. Walkers and bikers will have a safe way of traversing M-53 beginning this summer. Construction has begun on a pedestrian covered bridge that will stretch over M-53 just north of 32 Mile Road, connecting the Macomb Orchard Trail on either side of the bypass. The bridge is scheduled for completion in July.

Crumm said there is some extra work needed in a stony section east of Powell Road that could be completed in the fall.

Goodbye to Trees Along the Trail!

If you've been on the Shelby/Washington section of the trail lately, you're probably wondering what happened to all the trees. Here are several recent articles on what's happening. We in the Friends group, along with many others don't agree with the way this policy is being implemented. If you agree, please call or write your local, state and national representatives and tell them how you feel.

Please note that this will be happening to the rest of the trail anywhere the power lines run next to it, and not just to our trail, but to anywhere in the state the power lines run!

Detroit Free Press, April 4, 2008 - Residents and local officials are cringing at the massacre of stately trees in Oakland and Macomb counties where yards and recreational trails abut high-voltage lines. The clear-cutting is a new policy of ITC Holdings, a Novi-based company that owns most of the high-voltage power lines in Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

The Macomb Daily Opinion Page, March 27, 2008 - Power company should trim instead of cutting down trees.

Macomb Daily, March 23, 2008 - Power company trimming back vegetation. International Transmission Co., which owns the power line corridor that parallels the trial, recently began an aggressive "vegetation management" plan that includes clear-cutting trees that could potentially threaten power lines.

Jane Heffner, whose Washington Township home backs up the to trail, said contractors cut more than 50 trees -- some as old as 30 years -- that separated her backyard from the trail. "We came home one day and the trees were cut down," Heffner said.

Trail Maps: (Updated Mar. 2006)

The Macomb Orchard Trail Commission has printed a glossy brochure with a map of the trail from Dequindre all the way to Richmond. We have reproduced the map as two PDF pages which you can view and print.

Click Here for the new Macomb Orchard Trail Map - Page 1

Click Here for the new Macomb Orchard Trail Map - Page 2

 The Detroit News - Mar. 21, 2007: Trail extension may wander right into Utica -
The Macomb Orchard Trail hike and bike path, which meanders through the rural parts of the county, soon could expand into more urban areas. The nearly 24-mile-long trail will be extended through Shelby Township's River Bends Park and into Utica, if the township can secure $400,000 in federal funds.

Note: To ask questions or report concerns/problems about the Macomb Orchard Trail.
Call Macomb County Parks & Recreation: (586) 979-7010 ext 2.

Please Note: The Macomb Daily newspaper has loaded old issues onto their on-line archive, so the links now work.

But, The Romeo Observer has deleted most articles before Oct. 2003 from their on-line archives, so those links no longer work, sorry.

NOTE: Most meeting minutes from 2005 or later are in PDF format which requires Adobe Reader (Free from Adobe Systems). Most computers already have Adobe Reader, but if you need a copy, go to www.adobe.com and click on the "Get Adobe Reader" Icon.

Minutes from the Jan. 22, 2008 Friends meeting are now on-line: Click here to read them

The Spring 2008 Friends Newsletter is now on-line. Click here to read it.

With 11,833 miles of rail-trails in the United States, where do you turn for information? 
Why, www.TrailLink.com of course! Try it!

The Macomb Orchard Trail Commission's web site can be found at: www.macomborchardtrail.com

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