Swan Creek Connector Trail

In partnership with Metroparks Toledo, DGL was the engineer of record for the newly constructed Swan Creek Connector Trail. The Swan Creek Trail improvements provided the missing piece of trail which connected Maumee to Swan Creek and the University of Toledo Medical Center. The 7,300 feet of improvements through Swan Creek Preserve included: 6,500 feet of 10-foot-wide asphalt multi-use path, a 200-foot pedestrian bridge crossing over Swan Creek, and nearly 600 feet of elevated concrete boardwalk above the floodplain at the east end of the preserve. Beyond providing increased regional trail connectivity, the project delivered crucial community benefits: ensuring safer access to the award-winning park system for students and the surrounding neighborhoods, providing more ways for the community to enjoy nature, and offering residents greater access to physical activities.

Being mindful of the constructability of the trail, bridge, and boardwalk played a key role in the project’s design phase. DGL’s engineers considered and studied site accessibility, terrain, forested environment, environmental impacts, as well as overall cost when detailing the construction plans.

The Connector Trail project also included public improvements. The existing 700 feet of sidewalk on Byrne Road to the east is now a 10-foot-wide asphalt path. DGL coordinated with the Metroparks and the City of Toledo regarding public safety, utility pole relocation, and the installation of a modular block retaining wall to accommodate the site’s existing slope and eliminate the need for right-of-way acquisition.