NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio -- The Cleveland Metroparks' new Fort Hill Steps take maximum advantage of a natural asset without harming nature or the environment at the Rocky River Reservation.

They allow visitors to scale a steep hill and seize a commanding view of the river from atop a sheer shale wall.

The 90-foot assent uses 155 steps that lead to three different observation platforms.

The old staircase, built in 1982, was razed last year after movement of the shale cliff rendered it unstable.

Sean McDermott, Chief Planning and Design Officer for Cleveland Metroparks, said Wednesday that the new stairs are bigger and strong, inside and out.

The original had poured-concrete foundations under the stairs that only went 36 inches into the shale; the new foundations are at least six feet into the shale and 18 feet in a few cases.

Half of the new build follows the run of the original but three turning points are more dramatic, in part to keep the stair case farther back from the edge of the shale cliff. McDermott said one reason they built some of it over the path of the old stairs was to minimize the impact on the surrounding hillside and the trees nearby.

Two things visitors will notice immediately are the width - six feet instead of four - and three observation platforms instead of one.

McDermott the extra platforms give people a place to rest or enjoy the view on the way up without obstructing others.

The steps take their name from rounded earthen mounds in the woods above the river. These resemble fortifications, but researchers now believe that they were used for ceremonial purposes by the Native Americans who inhabited the area a thousand years ago.

The mounds are still visible from a small platform in the woods.

Preliminary design of the new staircase was done in-house by Metroparks staff. Final engineering and design were handled by E.L Robinson Engineering of Cleveland and SME of Kirtland did the geotechnical engineering. Schirmer Construction of North Olmsted built the staircase.

The project took 11 months to complete with construction costing $376,800, and engineering and design $72,300.

Approximately $153,000 of the cost was covered by community contributions, according to the park system.

"We are overwhelmed by the community support of this iconic landmark," Metroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman said Wednesday. "Overlooking the confluences of the east and west branches of the Rocky River, it is one of the most picturesque places in the Emerald Necklace."

"Anecdotally, when we were on site, the stories we did hear from the public reinforced what the steps meant to people," McDermott said. For some, the steps were a means of achieving personal goals ranging from losing weight to getting engaged.

Members of the public have had access to the new steps for several days, even as park personnel were putting the finishing touches on the staircase and landscaping.

Formal dedication was to take place some time after 9 a.m. Friday.