Bike trails on Whirlpool's campus opening up for the summer

 

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. - Whirlpool's expansive Lakeview Trail bike paths are finally nearing completion.

The project began around three years ago with the idea to snake bike trails and walking paths around the 200-acre corporate campus in Benton Township to give the public a brand-new space where they could walk or ride safely.

Part of that plan was to utilize 40 acres worth of property on the west side of M-63 along the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.

How would they get cyclists to cross such a busy roadway?

A tunnel underneath the highway. But building it was no easy feat.

A portion of M-63 was closed down for months to allow construction crews to tear up the road. Then the tunnel itself was built and the road built back up around it.

The project even managed to finish a few days ahead of schedule.

But there's still some work that needs to be done before the trails will be able to open up to the public this June.

"We're finishing up the trails on this west side of the road," said Mark Richards, Head of Global Real Estate for the Whirlpool Corporation. "We've also had some enhanced landscaping that will go through some of the campus areas where the trails go through the lawns, and then we also have a new trailhead that we're finishing up."

Whirlpool is happy to give people the chance to enjoy more of their property as well as promote active and healthy activities for people of all ages.

The Lakeside Trails aren't open just yet but if you're hankering to get out and ride, there are five miles worth of trails open on the east side of M-63 that are officially open and Whirlpool is excited for them to get used for their first full summer season.