Dane County Executive Parisi Signs PARC & Ride Bike Trail Grant Resolution
March 06, 2019
Ariana Vruwink 608-267-8823
County Executive
On Tuesday, March 5, surrounded by Dane County Parks staff, local bike enthusiasts, and Cambridge community members, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi signed the resolution awarding Dane County’s PARC and Ride Bike Trail Grant allocations for 2018. The grant awards the Village of Cambridge $209,250 for its CamRock/Glacial Drumlin Connector project. This 3,600 ft. trail connection will extend from the terminus of the CamRock Trail to State Farm Road and will ultimately connect to the Glacial Drumlin State Trail.
“It’s exciting to have communities come forward with plans to strengthen Dane County’s network of bike trails,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “These projects enhance our quality of life in Dane County and heighten the overall experience visitors and residents can have while enjoying the outdoors.”
When complete, the CamRock/Glacial Drumlin Connector project will provide a new bike route near the communities of Cambridge and Rockdale and improve access to Dane County parks and natural resource areas. The route will add a safe crossing to State Highway 134, a separated path along US 12 and 18, and bike lanes along local roads. The Village of Cambridge will incorporate kiosks, benches, and bike racks along the route to complement scenic viewing areas, educational points of interest, rest areas, wayfinding maps, and community information. The total cost of the project will be $418,500.
The Village of Cambridge, Dane County Parks, Jefferson County Parks, the Cambridge Community Foundation, and the Wisconsin DNR originally partnered in 2008 to create a plan to connect the Glacial-Drumlin State Trail to the CamRock Trail. A portion of this plan was implemented through a Dane County PARC grant in 2014, which helped extend the route from an existing trailhead at CamRock Park to its terminus north of State Highway 18 near its intersection with State Highway 134.
The Dane County PARC and Ride Bike Trail grant program awarded $500,000 to four municipalities for 2018. In addition to Cambridge, recipients include the Villages of Cottage Grove, Windsor, and Shorewood Hills. The program was brought back in the 2018 budget and provides matching grants to communities interested in expanding trail interconnectivity throughout Dane County. Municipalities were eligible to receive grants matching up to 50 percent of a project’s costs to offset bike trail design, engineering, and construction expenses.
Grants were awarded to capital projects that expanded bike trail interconnectivity, created destination-oriented regional bike trails, and improved bike safety. Projects needed to provide a regional shared-use trail connection, as identified in the 2018-2023 Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan, and could include associated amenities like trailheads/parking areas, signage, and safety facilities.
Other Funded Projects Include:
The Village of Cottage Grove was awarded $182,500 for its Main Street Community Trail. This extension of paved trail along Main Street will provide a trail connection between the Glacial Drumlin Trail and McCarthy County Park. In total, the project will cost $365,000.
The Village of Windsor was awarded $81,600 for its 1,000 ft. paved trail and bridge project that will provide a connection for the proposed trail from Token Creek County Park to the Upper Yahara River Trail. The total project cost will be $163,200.
The Village of Shorewood Hills was awarded $26,650 for its Blackhawk Path Extension. This project will feature a 1,400 ft. extension of the University Avenue Path that will cover a missing link between Shorewood Hills and University Bay Drive. In total, the project will cost $211,996.