By Kirk Johannesen, The Republic
johanessen@therepublic.com
Brown County has received a $650,400 grant from Indiana Department of Transportation to complete its Salt Creek Trail project.
Salt Creek Trail is a 12-footwide, 2.5-mile-long paved trail that connects Nashville to Brown County State Park. The project started in 2002 as part of a long-range plan by Brown County Parks and Recreation Department.
When completed, the trail will link Nashville, Brown County YMCA, regional medical offices of the Columbus and Bloomington hospitals, the school corporation's athletic fields at Eagle Park, Brown County State Park, several major hotels and Brown County High School.
The grant requires the county to raise 20 percent of the funds - about $155,000 - to use the full $650,400.
The project has three phases:
Phase I - Jefferson Street to Brown County YMCA. Funded with $1 million grant from INDOT and $250,000 local funding. Scheduled to start in late 2009 or early 2010 and take two months to complete.
Phase 2 - North bank of Salt Creek from Jefferson Street (behind CVS Pharmacy) to the north entrance of Brown County State Park. Funded by $650,400 INDOT grant.
Phase 3 - From north entrance of Brown County State Park to the west boundary of Eagle Park. Funded with a $725,000 grant from Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Scheduled to start in spring 2009 and take two months.
After the trail is built, the county will pursue another project, which will link the high school to the trail with a pathway under Indiana 46 near the Salt Creek shopping plaza.