The Eli Lilly Road trail widening project has been completed and is now open. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Monday, Oct. 3. Pictured in front is Amara McClellan (on her bike). In back, from left, are Andrea Reed, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber director; Bob Fanning and Ron Baumgartner, Eli Lilly Road residents; Megan McClellan, trail’s executive director; Dr. Erick Leffler, trail committee chairman; Dr. Tom Edington, park foundation president, trail committee member and treasurer; and Holly Swoverland, K21 Health Foundation. (Photo by Phoebe Muthart)

SYRACUSE — The Eli Lilly Road trail widening project has been completed. Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee and other members of the community took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, Oct. 3, in Syracuse.

The new section is 2,100 feet long, or about 0.4 miles.

The project was made possible by donations and the K21 Health Foundation. Eighty percent of the project was paid for by private donations and 20 percent paid for by the K21 Foundation. The donations were specified they be used for the Eli Lilly Road project.

The project lasted six weeks and was completed by Pulver Asphalt and Paving, Albion.

Several upgrades were conducted. A rolled sidewalk was added so homeowners can access their property. Also, Kosciusko County required the sidewalk be a rolled curb for easier snow plowing.

The 3-foot wide edge of the road was originally separated by a white stripe. However, the new section is now a 5 and 1/2-foot wide raised curb sidewalk.

The new section connects the original section along Eli Lilly Road to the rest of the trail system.

Beth’s Designs, Syracuse, donated the ribbon used in the ceremony.

For more information, visit www.syracusewawaseetrails.com.