The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has accepted a new grant for the Red Arrow Highway Linear Park.
The $1,495,000 state Transportation Alternative Program grant will help continue construction of the paved trail along Red Arrow Highway for about 2.7 miles from Berrien Street to Lakeshore Road in Chikaming Township.
Commissioners were told in January the Berrien County Road Department had applied for the funding in conjunction with the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission. With the funds now approved, work can begin on that next stretch of the trail, which is intended to eventually run all the way from the Indiana state line to Bridgman.
Construction this year has focused on Red Arrow Highway from US-12 to Community Hall Road.
The $1.4 million accepted by commissioners Thursday will be added to a $373,000 match made by Chikaming Township. Although the county will own the trail, it has not accepted the responsibility of maintaining it. That will be left to the township, which works with the planning commission and Friends of Berrien County Trails to secure grants.
The Berrien County Road Department aims to begin construction on this newest stretch of trail in the fall.
