Liberty Township’s parks department will use reclaimed asphalt from the Sawmill Road construction project to construct two new bike trails in the township.

Michael Landon, parks supervisor, said that, as a cost-saving measure, the department is using the reclaimed asphalt from the Sawmill Road construction to build the base layer of the trails. “It saves money,” he said.

Landon said that, between mowing grass, keeping up with trash and maintenance of the parks, the department is creating a connector between trails.

“We are connecting the original path from the (middle) school over to the path behind the YMCA on Liberty Road,” Landon said.

Landon said the department is to lay down 2,100 tons of gravel over the reclaimed asphalt to build the top layer of the trails.

Trustees on July 1 approved a purchase not to exceed $23,790 to build the two trails this summer.

“The trail connecting the middle school with the YMCA will be a 1,860-foot gravel path,” Landon said.

Landon said the parks department is constructing a gravel trail that is “approximately 5/8 of a mile loop” around the field behind the YMCA.

Landon said several trails are paved in the township but many are gravel. He said he didn’t know the total mileage of all the bike trails in the township.

Landon said construction has started on the new trails but getting the trails done depends on weather conditions. “Construction has started but the weather has put the work on hold,” he said.

According to Matt Huffman, township administrator, the next trail to be built is the Liberty Road trail that will connect the northwest and southwest corners of Liberty Road and Rutherford. “We are bidding the project as a joint project with the city of Powell,” he said.

Trustees approved a resolution Monday authorizing the payment of $7,035 to purchase 670 tons of gravel for maintenance of the trail located in Liberty Park near the park office.