In what will probably be the biggest volunteer effort of 2016, volunteers logged 250 hours of work April 18-20 cutting tree roots along the trail berms from Grandin Rd. north to the park boundary at Hedges Rd.
This massive project aimed at reducing bumps and cracks on the trail surface completes the entire 50 miles of trail begun last year.
Two 4-person teams worked 10 hours a day for 3 days pulling a hooked blade behind a rented tractor to cut through encroaching roots adjacent to the trail. The teams also recut portions of the trail between Loveland and Grandin Rd. to correct for a shallow cut due a broken blade last year.
The compacted railroad ballast that underlies our trail was tough on cutter blades, wearing down the tungsten carbide tips within a 10-hour day. This year the crew was ready with three additional blades for replacements.
Debris on the trail resulting from the root cutting was cleaned up as quickly as possible by FLMSP volunteers. You may notice some furrows in the berm; these are being repaired.
Thanks to a dedicated, hard-working group of Friends volunteers, trail users can expect a smoother trail surface for years to come.
