Saginaw Valley Rail Trail

Spicer Group assisted with the Rail Trail Master Plan, which studied and assessed an abandoned rail line with railroad bridges. Once the Master Plan was completed, Spicer assisted the County with grant writing and administration, as well as providing the complete design and construction administration for multiple phases of the project. Spicer helped the county work with many different parties to make the project a success. These included grant sources, advisory committees, local governmental units, and adjacent property owners.  The Saginaw Valley Rail Trail has undergone four phases of development. The 11.5-mile trail begins in the Village of St. Charles and winds its way northward through Swan Creek and James Townships before connecting with the Saginaw Township Path system at Center and Stroebel Roads.

Owned and operated by the Saginaw County Parks Department, the non-motorized pawthway was designed and built with relatively little funding from the County. The pathway has received over $3 million in funding from Michigan grants, private foundations, and donations. The trail is barrier-free and boasts a fishing platform, wildlife viewing area, parallel equestrian trail and eight bridges - one of which stretches 141 feet over Swan Creek. The trail also offers three pocket parks with pavilions and picnic tables, restrooms, a trail eye, interpretive signs, a midpoint trail parking area, and a rest station. This project also won an award from the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association for Innovative Recreation Design.