Published: May 21, 2008 12:10 am         

Trail wins funds for expansion

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources awarded $700,000 to buy about 299 acres to expand the trail

About 26 miles of former railroad right-of-way in Boone, Clinton and Tippecanoe counties will be added to the Farm Heritage Trail, state officials said Tuesday.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources awarded $700,000 to buy about 299 acres to expand the trail, which includes a section in Thorntown.

The 1.5 mile stretch of the Keewasakee Trail starts at Church Street and follows a Monon Railroad right-of-way to a bridge over Sugar Creek.

In 2006, Friends of Boone County Trails raised nearly $1 million to buy a 12-mile segment for the Farm Heritage Trail, which will eventually connect Lafayette and Indianapolis.

The latest investment in Boone County’s trail system is part of $19 million in grants announced in a press release from Gov. Mitch Daniels.

“The governor’s announcement truly marks an historic day for the future of trails and greenways in Indiana,” Matthew T. Klein, board president of the Greenways Foundation said in a press release. “We could not be more enthused or appreciative of his efforts.”

The DNR is distributing the money to 28 projects, intending to add 104 miles of trails and to buy land for another 26 miles.

Indiana now has about 400 miles of multi-use trails, including sections in Zionsville.

Projects were chosen based upon geographic diversity, readiness to build, connectivity to the trails system and local support. These funds are in addition to the $20 million the state invests annually as part of Daniels' Hoosiers on the Move trails initiative to connect communities throughout the state. The 10-year plan calls for every Hoosier to be within 15 minutes of a trail.

DNR will manage both the new funding being allocated to local trails projects and the 150 miles of abandoned railroad corridor the state recently acquired for distribution to government entities and local trail groups for potential trail development.

     

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