Friends of Freeland is completing another link in the chain to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety in the community’s downtown core.

The latest is a boardwalk to cover the county ditch in front of Chase Bank along Main Street approaching the traffic signal at Highway 525.

“This is a vital addition to the pedestrian route from Fish and Cameron roads,” said Richard Rhydes, a local architect and Friends of Freeland president.

“It provides 120 feet of sidewalk where none existed previously,” he said.

As with other Friends of Freeland projects downtown, material for the boardwalk was purchased with money from federal and local grants, and from local donations. All the work is done by volunteers, Rhydes said.

Friends of Freeland, established in 2001, is a nonprofit organization with a mailing list of more than 500 volunteers.

This past month it installed 24 planter boxes to define the entrance openings to several parking areas along Main Street.

Rhydes said Friends of Freeland also plans to continue landscaping projects throughout downtown, and to finish gravel pathways for people to get around the downtown core without walking on the roadways.

For more information about Friends of Freeland, or to volunteer, call 331-1224 or visit www.friendsoffreeland.net.