BERRIEN SPRINGS — Walkers, joggers and bikers traveling north along the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail have to hit the roads after reaching Plym Park in Niles, but some area organizations are working to change that.

From 4:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, Be Healthy Berrien and the Berrien County Health Department hosted its second public input meeting at Berrien Springs Community Library.

The goal was to collect input on a proposed extension of the River Valley Trail that would connect Niles, Niles Charter Township, Berrien Township and Berrien Springs. The new trail could extend about nine miles, starting where the current trail ends at Plym Park and ending near Lake Chapin in Berrien Springs.

“We’re bringing the community in as a partner to make sure we’re building a trail that people want to use in a new way, that is respectful of the people who live along the route and would like to use the trail,” said Heather Cole, director of Be Healthy Berrien.

At the meeting, attendees filled out surveys, listened to a presentation and gave suggestions and opinions to volunteers while eating spring rolls, fruit and cookies.

Two organizers were stationed at two tables, both of which had a large map depicting the proposed trail. If an attendee provided insight or a personal preference for the trail, the volunteer would write it down on a notecard and stick it to the wall behind them.

Some attendees helped organizers determine where restrooms should be located. Others suggested preferable trail route options that would maximize safety and aesthetics.

“I have been very pleasantly surprised that the majority of the input has been very positive,” Cole said. “I think there’s a real hunger for this kind of work in Berrien County, especially. There’s been a lot of talk about this kind of thing for a long time. People seeing positive progress are really excited about it.”

The proposed trail’s proponents are still in the planning and information gathering stage. No funding or concrete plans have been secured.

The proposed route is currently drawn out to follow a railway that has not been used for decades. Much of the land along the route is either publicly owned or owned by American Electric Power, which is on the trail’s steering committee.

There is a patch of property owners along the proposed path, however. Most have remained silent or supportive, said Berrien Township trustee Deb Conley, but a few are opposed.

She said the owners feared crime would increase or crops would be made difficult to tend to if the trail was built next to or through their properties.

The planning commission, Be Healthy Berrien and the Berrien County Health Department, among other entities, will need to obtain property easements from all owners along the route.

The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission has drawn up two alternative paths in case property easement falls through. Both would follow next to M-139, then cross the highway before following Winn and Ullery Roads for a short way, respectively.

This, in turn, creates some issues, said Michigan Department of Transportation planner Brian Sanada.

MDOT and other entities would need to determine how and where the trail could cross over M-139. There would also be slop and line of sight issues, he said, but each problem could be solved.

Safety is a top priority for the proposed trail, said Southwest Michigan Planning Commission associate planner Kristopher Martin in a public input meeting presentation. He said Berrien County has some of the highest pedestrian accident and fatality rates in the state. This trail could lower them.

“We want to make this trail accessible for people in Berrien County, for local residents and visitors alike, to be able to access this network,” he said. “[Users] really like a large span of safe area for people to get off to bike, to walk, to rollerblade, to push your kids in a stroller.”

Martin described numerous benefits in creating the trail. He said tourism, physical health, business, tax revenue, municipality interconnectedness and pedestrian safety could all increase.

“Berrien County is an aging county, so how to do we attract people? How to attract families? How do we find safe ways to recreate?” Martin asked. “Non-motorized travel can have that benefit.”

Initial public input indicates that most survey respondents are in favor of the proposed trail. Many survey respondents said they would walk, run and bike on the trail to get exercise or to travel to shopping, services and dining.

After route planning and community input is gathered this year, trail partners expect to plan trail implementation, consult with engineers and continue to engage the community in 2020.

Then, from 2021 to 2023, the groups would finalize engineering; seek funding from public and private grants with matching assistance from municipalities; continue to engage the community; and, potentially, start construction.

The trail meeting came as another portion of the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail nears completion.

By November, Niles’ intercity trail at Fort and N. Third streets will connect to the River Valley Trail near Brandywine Creek Nature Park about 0.75 miles south.