COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recently approved 19 Clean Ohio Trails Fund grants totaling nearly $7 million for community recreational trail projects.
The nearly $7 million in reimbursement funding through the Clean Ohio Trails Fund grants program will be used in 14 counties to develop miles of new trails, trail extensions, land acquisition and bridges.
Grant recipients provide a 25 percent match for their projects and grants are contingent on approval from the State of Ohio Controlling Board.
Projects in east central Ohio include:
Mahoning County. In Mahoning County, Canfield Township received $195,867 from the fund for the Robert H. Neff Memorial Bike Trail, which will connect the Canfield Township Community Park to the Mill Creek Metroparks Bikeway.
The Neff Land Development Co. will donate a permanent easement to the township, and the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center will also donate an easement to the township.
The project’s total cost is an estimated $261,155.
Portage County. In Portage County, the Portage Park District received $288,750 for another phase of the Headwaters Trail. The Headwaters Trail Infirmary Road Connection is the extension of the existing 8-mile Headwaters Trail from its western terminus to a public road. Currently the trail ends approximately 300 feet from the road.
The project includes engineering and construction of an embankment up to the road, and extension of the trail as a side path within the road right-of-way. This terminus at Infirmary Road brings trail users to a safe intersection with Mennonite Road. Total cost is $385,000.
Future extensions west through Aurora are planned.
Stark County. In Stark County, $417,195 was awarded to the Stark County Park District for the Iron Horse Trail. This project will construct 1.74 miles of 10-foot-wide pedestrian/bike trail within the City of Alliance using crushed limestone, asphalt and concrete surfacing.
Total cost is an estimated $556,261.20.
Tuscarawas County. The Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition received a grant for $380,625 to support a quarter-mile Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail connection in Bolivar.
The section of trail will connect the McDonnell Trailhead on the border of Stark and Tuscarawas counties with existing trail heading toward Bolivar. The total cost of the project is expected to be $507,500.
Pending approval, work on this section of trail is expected to begin in 2019.
About the Clean Ohio Trails Fund
The Clean Ohio Trails Fund, administered by ODNR, is one of three components of the Clean Ohio Fund, which restores, protects and connects Ohio’s natural and urban places. Ohioans approved the establishment of the $400 million bond program in 2000. This is the 13th round of funding to be awarded through the Clean Ohio Trails Fund.
Read more about the other 2018 Clean Ohio Trails Fund grant awardees.
