Lower Lake Multipurpose Trail

Photo of where the Lower Lake trail will be in Lower Lake park

Overview

The City’s Lower Lake Multipurpose Trail opened in 2024. This 10-foot wide asphalt, multi-purpose trail is approximately .44 miles in length and located between Lower Lake and South Park Boulevard in Shaker Heights.

Project Overview

The Lower Lake Multipurpose Trail provides a paved, safe means of accessible, non-motorized transportation between the south shore of Lower Lake and South Park Boulevard and fills the gap in the cycling and pedestrian network by connecting the eastern and western portions of the Shaker parklands. 

The western terminus is near the intersection of Coventry Road and South Park Boulevard and the eastern terminus is near the intersection of South Park Boulevard and North Woodland Road, as illustrated in the proposed site location map. The design process and community engagement helped determine the exact location of the final trail. 

View a recording of the January 25 public meeting to learn more about the project and see preliminary designs. 

Background

The Shaker Lakes parklands are a popular recreational destination for residents of Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, Cleveland, and beyond. The history of this linear series of ravines, lakes, natural areas, woods, and greenspace dates to the Shakers, a religious sect that settled here from 1822-1889. Later, the Shaker Lakes parklands were purchased by local developers and soon donated as parklands. The entire site is part of the North Union Shaker Site and the Shaker Village Historic District, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Lower Lake Multipurpose Trail will serve as a connector to the Lake-to-Lakes Trail, a critical 6-mile multipurpose trail for the region, and will continue improving regional and local recreational trail connections and improving access for all users to the Shaker Lakes, a unique and historically significant recreational resource in Northeast Ohio. This new trail will also provide a safe, off-road alternative transportation link and complete a missing link in a “basic” bike suitability network that connects North Woodland to North Park Boulevard via Brook Road. The trail will directly connect to the existing off-road path along North Park, which is identified as a regional greenway connection in the Cuyahoga Greenways Plan.

Planned Investments

A $412,000 project budget of local and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) funds will be used for construction of the new trail in 2024. ODNR funds are Clean Ohio Trails funds.

Investments will include a 10’ wide, ADA accessible, multipurpose trail with trail signage and amenities and other enhancements designed to improve both access and safety, while connecting the existing sidewalk and trails around Lower Lake.

News

6/25/23: Funding in the loop for Lower Shaker Lake Multipurpose Trail

Contact

For questions or comments, please contact Anna Mates in the Planning Department.