(Photo by Gwen Sour) From left, Janetta King, Danny De Los Santos, Jessica Keeton, Kevin Wood, Jim Ullman and John Carey break ground on the Beverly Riverfront Trail Thursday morning.

BEVERLY — Local, regional and state officials gathered Thursday morning at Muskingum River Park to break ground on the Beverly Riverfront Multi-Use Path, a trail project funded through the Ohio Department of Development’s Appalachian Community Grant Program.

The project is a partnership between the Village of Beverly, the Ironton-Lawrence Community Action Organization, and the Buckeye Hills Regional Council, with additional support from the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, the Washington County Health Department, and several local organizations.

“This speaks to the partnerships that the village, school district, Chamber of Commerce, and county health department have built,” said John Carey, director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia. “These strong partnerships demonstrated that this was a strong project. It’s going to be transformational.”

Carey said the project’s design, which connects neighborhoods to Fort Frye Local Schools, was one reason it earned state support.

Mayor Jim Ullman said the trail has been discussed locally since 2023 and builds on years of work by residents and community groups. He said the path will provide a safe walking and biking route through Beverly and link to the existing trail on Beverly Island.

(Photo by Gwen Sour) Ruhlin Company Project Manager Danny De Los Santos discusses how the company anticipates the construction process will take place.

“This path is more than just a place to walk and ride bikes,” Ullman said. “It’s about giving everyone a safe, beautiful space to enjoy the outdoors. It also provides Fort Frye students another safe route to school.”

Ullman credited local partners, including the Washington County Commissioners, Waterford Township trustees, and Fort Frye Local Schools, along with engineering and construction teams from Arcadis and The Ruhlin Company, for helping move the project forward.

Sam Skinner, president of Beverly-Waterford Growth and Revitalization (BW Grow), said the group’s efforts, such as organizing the Sweet Corn Festival, flower projects, and park cleanups, helped demonstrate community commitment to larger infrastructure improvements.

“This project connects us to one another, to the outdoors, and to the future we want to build,” Skinner said. “It’s the result of people who care deeply about where they live and who volunteer, donate and show up to make things happen.”

Danny De Los Santos, project manager with The Ruhlin Company, said construction is expected to begin early next spring, starting near Center Street and moving east and west along the river. He said the company plans to complete work by late summer 2026.

(Photo by Gwen Sour) Beverly Mayor Jim Ullman thanks local and state partners for making the multi-use path possible during a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning.

Kevin Wood of Arcadis, the project’s design firm, said the company has worked with Beverly and other southeastern Ohio communities for several years.

“We are very excited to be a part of this project and look forward to continuing to work with the community,” he said.

Jessica Keeton, representing the Ironton-Lawrence Community Action Organization, said the trail is part of a larger initiative funded through the state’s Appalachian Community Grant Program.

“Two of the hallmarks of Appalachian culture are ingenuity and determination,” Keeton said. “Both are well on display here.”

Community volunteer Janetta King thanked local officials and residents for supporting the project from its earliest stages.

“This trail was once just an idea on a sticky note at a planning meeting,” King said. “It’s not the vision of one person – it’s the vision of the community.”

The event concluded with a ceremonial first dig by project partners and local leaders.