WHAT IS THE MURRAY PATH PROJECT?

The Murray Multi-Use Path builds on the success and popularity of the Fairfax trail. A 10-foot wide, landscaped pathway with gentle curves, will connect to the Fairfax path at Settle Road eastward to Plainville Road.

WHY THE PROJECT?

• Restore green space, enhancing the neighborhoods
• Provide a safe route for kids walking to school (in an area lacking sidewalks altogether in one stretch, and having inadequate sidewalks in the remainder)
• Resolve a number of stormwater drainage problems
• Connect with local businesses
• Enhance outdoor fitness opportunities and community engagement with a beautifully landscaped path
• Continue to provide parking spaces for the Historic District of Mariemont, reoriented to accommodate the pathway.

The Murray Path will head westward and connect to the Fairfax Trail, that ends at Erie Avenue. A highly successful and popular project converted a 1.5 mile section of the old rail line to a multi-use path. This asphalt path is popular with walkers, joggers, dog walkers and cyclists.

The landscape plan by Martin Koepke, landscape architect, and Village resident, has evolved from concepts presented to Village Council as early as 2017. The design addresses input from the Mayor and Council, the citizen committee raising the private funding for the landscape, and various community stakeholders. Final revisions were made in response to comments, and to adapt to the as-built path alignment.

The primary function of the Murray Road Corridor is for utility distribution and transmission lines. The Village of Mariemont and Columbia Township has added a 10-foot wide path from Settle to Plainville as a continuation of the current Murray Path west of Settle Road. Flowering trees and plants are added to replace the planting that was removed, soften the impact of the utilities, and convert the corridor into a greener, inviting community asset that provides greater community connectivity and healthy, active, lifestyle choices.

The path has a slight meandering alignment to navigate around parking, create space for planting, and meet engineering and utility requirements.

Existing parking has been converted from angled parking to parallel parking.

Although planting is severely limited by the narrow site with its overhead constraints, the Landscape Plan is designed to provide intermittent light shade and add aesthetic value to a space currently void of focal interest. The goal is to enrich the path experience for the user, passerby, and adjacent residents of Columbia Township and Mariemont.

Plants shown are selected for their proven hardiness in similar environments, ease of maintenance, and tolerance to drought and salt. Three tree species (Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry, Merrill Magnolia, and American Smoke Tree) are featured. Shrubs and perennials add color, texture, and seasonal interest.

(12) seat-height boulders (seat platforms) – “glacial erratics” found in the Moraine, OH area – have been selected and will be placed to give users a safe place to pause or stretch and to remind autos that this is a pedestrian path.

One simple way to review the plan is to zoom in on the pdf; look at the color photos of the plants selected (at the bottom of the drawing); find their abbreviated names in the legend (for example, Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry is “ABS”); then find where that plant is used in the plan.

A huge THANK YOU goes to Mr. Koepke for his talents and dedication to this Project.