WHEELING - The latest portion of the city's Heritage Trail is just steps away from completion.

A stone base is being set on the newest section of the Heritage Trail in preparation for pavement.

City Engineer Conrad Slanina said he expects the actual paving work to start soon. General cleanup, installation of signage on the trail and restriping of a portion of Washington Avenue also remains.

"It will be done in plenty of time for the distance race," Slanina said, referring to the The Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic on Saturday, May 28.

The race course was altered to include a portion of the trail because of an ongoing project to widen National Road between Chicken Neck Hill and Mount de Chantal Road.

In early November, Wheeling City Council approved the expenditure of $272,558 to T.H. Enterprises of St. Clairsville for work to connect the trail between Rock Point Road and Washington Avenue. The total cost of the project is $282,000. Most of the project's cost is being covered by a $262,000 grant from the state.

Work to lay the stone base is being conducted by subcontractor Lash Excavating & Paving, which also will pave the new trail section.

This past summer, the city implemented eminent domain to capture the land being used to close the gap. This measure was used because the city and land owner "could not reach an agreement on the price of the property," City Manager Robert Herron has said.

City engineers say the gap in the trail was nearly three-fourths of a mile. Workers had to remove trees and brush on the 10-foot wide path. Work on the trail began on Nov. 12.

Stones already in place, once under railroad tracks, were used as a foundation. Additional stone also is being installed for the remaining footer. The asphalt track will be constructed on top of the stone surface.

Stone blocks also were used to build a retaining wall on sections of the trail. Fencing also is being erected in some sections for pedestrian protection.

Herron has said the success of the project can be attributed to council, the state Department of Transportation, and a local task force that promotes healthy living - the Wheeling Walks Task Force.

Closing the gap will make the trail about 13 miles in total length.