The Muscatine County Board of Supervisors agreed Monday to continue discussions with the city of Wilton to help secure a Destination Iowa grant from the state to expand the city’s bike trails.
During the regular meeting, the council heard from Wilton City Administrator Jeff Horne that the state has dedicated $100 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to create the Destination Iowa fund, which includes $40 million to be given as grants to enhance outdoor recreation. The website for the grant specifically lists regional trail connectors as projects that can be funded. He said there was a connector project in the city’s trail plan along Y14.
“Our City Council talked about this, and we would certainly be in favor of trying to get this project off the ground,” he said. “We can get, we think, 40% state funded through this. Also if we pursue some TAP (Transportation Alternative Program) funds and some other grant funds, I think we have a very good shot of having to put very little local funding into it.”
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Supervisor Jeff Sorensen said he liked “split road’ trails rather than “share the road” trails. He also asked about who would be responsible for maintenance, saying it couldn’t be paid for with road funds.