Solon and Chagrin Falls are on track to get something the suburbs rarely make easy: a mostly car-free way to travel between them. Cleveland Metroparks plans to close the remaining gap in a new multiuse path by 2027, turning a former railroad corridor into a route for walkers, runners and cyclists.
The project will create a roughly 2-mile multipurpose path beginning near Route 91 by Carter Lumber in Solon and eventually connecting with the existing South Chagrin Reservation trail. From there, trail users will be within about a half-mile of downtown Chagrin Falls, according to Cleveland.com.
Phase One Has Already Opened In Solon
Phase 1 is no longer theoretical. Cleveland Metroparks says the first stretch was completed in October 2025 and runs from SOM Center Road to the Deer Run cul-de-sac near the Solon-Bentleyville border.
The paved trail is 10 feet wide and includes an enhanced bicycle and pedestrian crossing at Liberty Road. The portion is open to the public, giving Solon residents an early piece of what is supposed to become a longer eastbound connection.
The Final Link Crosses Metroparks Land
Phase 2 is the short section that will make the entire route function as intended. It will connect the end of Phase 1 to the existing trail at Chagrin River Road, with construction beginning in 2026 and completion targeted for 2027, Cleveland.com reported.
The remaining segment is expected to run through land already owned by Cleveland Metroparks. Once finished, it will bring hikers and cyclists closer to Chagrin Falls without forcing them to treat busy roads as part of the adventure.
An Old Railroad Corridor Gets A New Job
The route follows the former Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad Company corridor, which is owned by the City of Solon. Cleveland Metroparks says the overall project is funded through state grants and city support, with the finished trail to be owned by Solon and managed by the park system.
Solon’s own project fact sheet describes the broader goal as a direct hike-and-bike connection between the two communities along an abandoned railroad line. That makes the project about more than adding another place to jog: It is also a practical piece of local transportation infrastructure.
State Funding Keeps The 2027 Target Moving
Ohio’s Controlling Board approved a request from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to release $400,000 in fiscal 2026 capital funds for the Solon to Chagrin Falls multipurpose trail. The funding is intended to support improvements in Cuyahoga County and help move the final connection from plans toward construction.
For now, Solon has a usable first stretch, Chagrin Falls has a future trail connection approaching downtown, and Metroparks has a relatively small but consequential gap to finish. If the schedule holds, the two cities will be linked by trail in 2027.
