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Bike Paths, Moonville Rail Trail Receive ODOT Funding
By: WOUB Staff Writer
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The Ohio Department of Transportation announced the 2017 Transportation Alternatives Program recipients, including the city and county of Athens and projects throughout Southeast Ohio.
The Northwest Athens Bikeway Spur will have its third phase funded, to the tune of $311,659, according to a press release from ODOT. The project will connect the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway to the northwest part of the city.
The Village of Chauncey Bikeway Connector will see $1.5 million to connect the current 21-mile Hockhocking Adena Bikeway to Chauncey.
Other Southeast Ohio areas are going to see part of the $4 million total that was allocated through this program. The Moonville Rail Trail Bridge in Vinton County will get $439,000 to install new bridges with recycled structures, according to the release.
Main Street sidewalk improvements in the city of Logan will receive $1.1 million to replace existing downtown sidewalks in need of repair, and rehabilitate non-functioning “streetscape lighting.”
“This will lay the necessary groundwork for improving the downtown infrastructure, bringing in tourists to the area and improving the local economy,” ODOT stated in the announcement.
The Village of Middleport will receive $336,938 for the Middleport Multipurpose Trail Phase II to connect a 1.6-mile trail and extend it to the Marina and Leading Creek.
Belpre Township received money for part of an abandoned railroad right-of-way in Washington County, which is part of the Athens/Belpre Rail Trail and currently owned by the CSX Corporation. The right-of-way acquisition, which received $237,500 from ODOT, acquires the 1.6-mile segment of the railroad between Collins Road and Little Hocking.
Morgan County and Green Township also received money as part of the program.