Campaign for $50 million in federal walkability funds kicks off 4 Mile Trail

Last Monday, the Rails to Trails Conservancy unveiled Active Transportation for America, a nationwide campaign to provide $50 million in federal funding for select cities to develop non-motorized transportation projects. Conservancy leaders announced the campaign at the Fred Meijer 4 Mile Trail development kickoff.

Grand Rapids submitted a case statement to the campaign earlier this year stating what the city would do to enhance walking, biking and connections to transit if awarded $50 million in federal funds.

“Four U.S. cities received $25 million each in 2005 for a pilot program to build walking and biking infrastructure,” says Rhonda Border-Boose, spokeperson for the Rails to Trails Conservancy Midwest Region. “The bill will be up for reauthorization in 2010, so we’re running a campaign to get $50 million in the next bill so more communities can participate.”

Border-Boose says the money is already in the federal bill; increasing it to $50 million per city, for a total of $2 billion, represents less than two percent of the funding available.

Supporters delivered the campaign to members of congress, including Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Grand Rapids), who received a copy at the 4 Mile Trail event.

“I talked to him about the importance of the program in making our cities less dependent on foreign oil, and how it will create cleaner communities and impact health,” Border-Boose says. “Should Grand Rapids get the money in the 2010 campaign, they can use that to advance the development of the whole trail system.”

The Fred Meijer 4 Mile Trail runs east-west, parallel to 4 Mile Road near Walker’s northern boundary. The trail will connect the north-south, cross-country Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park (near its southern tip in Comstock Park) to the Musketawa Trail in Ottawa County. The Meijer Foundation contributed $300,000 toward construction of the $3 million project. Trail construction begins in 2009.

Source: Rhonda Border-Boose, Rails to Trails Conservancy Midwest Region; Wondergem Consulting

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].