Note: A Bluffton Bike and Pedestrian Pathway Committee, established by Bluffton council, is working to create a pathway, which will eventually encircle the Village of Bluffton. This is the first in a series of feature stories on this project.
History of the Triplett Bike Path
While most residents today take the Triplett Bike Path for granted, efforts that went into that project took over 10 years to complete.
According to Ropp and Mary Em Triplett, the original promoters of the idea became involved when they learned that the Bluffton park board wanted to have a bike and walking path to the village park that would keep youth off County Line Road.
The Tripletts launched an effort in the late 1970s to create a pathway that went under Interstate 75. They raised $29,480 from 61 donors in the community to get the spec work for the project underway.
The entire project cost much more than that, however.
Mary Em Triplett, who was on the Village Cultural Affairs Committee at the time, had full support of that committee for the project. Other members of the committee were Sandy Miller, chairperson, Sue Fett, Carolyn Urich, Sheryl Schirmer and Jan Simons.
A letter from the committee to Bluffton council in May 1980 stated its dream of having a "foot path and bicycle trail from Harmon Field to the village park."
"This would be a great community asset," the letter stated. "The group decided to pursue the idea and see if this could be accomplished by a concerted effort of the private sector, with the backing of the public sector."
And so, the project became just that: an effort from Bluffton residents and organizations with the Bluffton council's backing.
"We had two trips to Columbus to talk with Ohio Department of Transportation officials, just on the hang up of going under the interstate," said Ropp. "Larry Core, who was village administrator at the time, was very instrumental in the design work under the I-75 bridge. That was key to getting ODOT to agree to participate in the project."
Mary Em said that another crucial point in getting ODOT's permission to go under the interstate was that the village needed to demonstration that the bike path had a designated starting point and ending point.
The village volunteers and the Bluffton council then outlined the path to start at the Buckeye, cross Main Street and go to the County Line Road. At that point, a dedicated bike-walking path was constructed. It connects Lake Street with Jefferson Street.
The bike path then uses village streets from Jefferson to Mound to East College. At East College, the path turns east where just beyond Albert Street it becomes a dedicated bike-walking path. That path goes behind properties on Albert Street to Riley Creek and under the interstate bridge.
On the south side of the interstate the path travels through the village park until it ends at the large shelter house near the high school baseball field.
The bike path project obtained written approval from all property owners on the bike path side of Albert Street to create the path from College Avenue to the creek.
After reviewing the bike path plan, ODOT agreed to allow the path to go under the interstate.
In November, 1989, the village received a letter from ODOT District One Deputy Director James Schmenk. It stated that Schmenk would come to Bluffton to pick up a check for $10,800 and the final village legislation, authorizing the bike path. Schmenk personally took the check to Columbus, and the rest is history.
"I remember cutting brush behind the houses along Albert Street just to clear the way for the path," said Ropp. "There was lots of community support and help for the project."
A citizen-led crew helped clear a 12-foot path and installed tiles where needed for the drainage areas.
On Aug. 18, 1990, the new bicycle path was dedicated. A celebration, planned by Bluffton Family Recreation began at the Buckeye at 2 p.m. with swimming and water games. At 3 p.m. persons gathered at the Buckeye Park where a ribbon-cutting cut opened the bike path.
The community celebration then moved to the village park, with most participants using the bike path. At the party were more games and a McDonald's Bingo game. The Bluffton chamber's Christmas committee held a hog roast. The Bluffton Masonic Lodge also assisted with the roast.
