Kal-Haven Trail Granted $5 Million For Much-Needed Upgrades
Over thirty years after its creation, the western side of the Kal-Haven Trail will finally be getting some upgrades.
The Kal-Haven Trail was dedicated in 1989 and rests on top of an abandoned railroad that was built in the late 1800s. Because of that, the trail is truly one of a kind with 33 miles of trails from Kalamazoo to South Haven that are bike, pedestrian, and even snowmobile friendly. Throughout the trail, you'll also find 31 panels that explain the cultural history of the area.
However, if you're an avid biker, you may have noticed that some of the trails are in need of a bit of maintenance. Mainly, it's been said that the trails need resurfacing, something that will now be possible in the near future.
According to secondwavemedia.com, $5 million has been awarded to the Kal-Haven Trail to resurface 17 of its 33 miles of trails. Additionally, Van Buren State Park, which connects to the trail in South Haven, will receive just over $1 Million to repair the walkway leading to the beach. With Van Buren State Park's connection in South Haven, an additional 14 miles of trails are available to walkers and cyclists.
While we don't know the exact timeline for these upgrades, the project is part of the Building Michigan Together Plan, a $5 billion funded plan to help improve Michigan's infrastructure. That includes improvements to state and local parks. With this plan, funds must be spent by December 31st, 2026. It's a broad timeline but, we can expect the Kal-Haven updates to take place sometime between now and then.
Tackling a trail that stretches over 30 miles can definitely be intimidating. If you've yet to visit the Kal-Haven Trail, you can learn more about it in this brief video from Pure Michigan:
You can see a full map of the Kal-Haven Trail and learn how to navigate the trail with your phone at michigan.gov.