News Release

Cuyahoga Valley National Park continues riverbank stabilization

Towpath Trail closure map

NPS

News Release Date: May 17, 2024

Contact: Pamela Barnes, 440-214-5857

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio - Cuyahoga Valley National Park is making progress on a Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) funded riverbank stabilization project that is stabilizing the banks of the Cuyahoga River where erosion has threatened the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and the tracks for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. Contractors are completing work in Brecksville, north of the Station Road Bridge Trailhead, and will be moving to the next site, south of Station Road Bridge.

On Wednesday, May 22, the Towpath Trail heading north from Station Road Bridge will be open. Trail users should expect delays when the contractor is moving equipment and materials.

Also beginning May 22, an approximately half-mile section of the Towpath Trail south of Station Road will be closed weekdays until August 2. The trail section will be open weekends, 6 pm Fridays–5 am Mondays. The closure is necessary for public safety while the contractor completes bank stabilization at the site where Chippewa Creek enters the Cuyahoga River. No detour is available.

The project began in 2022 and will continue through 2025. When the project is complete, the public will once again be able to safely enjoy the Towpath Trail and Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

Infrastructure funding from GAOA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are part of a concerted effort to address the extensive deferred maintenance and repair backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA’s Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.

CVNP encompasses over 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. Managed by the National Park Service, CVNP combines cultural, historical, recreational, and natural resources in one setting. For more information, visit us at www.nps.gov/cuva on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or call 440-717-3890.

-NPS-