VCNR: Cloverland Receives $1.3 Million Grant to Spark Phase 1 of River Trail Project

The proposed River Trail connecting Eagle River and St. Germain with an off-road paved biking and pedestrian trail got a big boost last week when the town of Cloverland was awarded nearly $1.3 million in federal funding for Phase 1 of the trail project.

The River Trail is a proposed 10-mile biking and walking connection between St. Germain and Eagle River along portions of the scenic Wisconsin River and linking with the nationally recognized 55-mile Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail System, creating additional opportunities for safe recreation and transportation throughout the region.

The River Trail Commission, which includes representatives from the city of Eagle River, and the towns of Cloverland and St. Germain, has been working collaboratively with the Great Headwaters Trails Foundation (GHTF) to advance the project.

The town of Cloverland served as the local sponsor for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant application. The federal grant funding will provide significant support for construction of Phase 1, with local matching funds required as part of the TAP, according to Steve Favorite, town of Cloverland chairman.

Favorite emphasized GHTF has committed nearly $500,000 toward River Trail Phase 1, including the local match required under the grant as well as funding the engineering design work and administrative oversight costs of the project.

“This grant award marks a tremendous and long-awaited step forward for the River Trail and is exciting news for Cloverland and the entire Vilas County region,” said Favorite. “Cloverland is very pleased to receive this competitive grant, which will cover 80% of the estimated cost of the trail’s first phase. We are especially grateful for our strong partnership with Great Headwaters Trails Foundation and for GHTF’s commitment to providing the 20% local match needed to bring this important project to fruition.”

Planning and development of the River Trail has involved years of collaboration among local governments, community organizations, volunteers and supporters. The TAP grant award provides the funding needed to move Phase 1 toward construction while establishing an important foundation for future phases of the River Trail. GHTF and the River Trail Commission have worked on the project for nearly a decade.

“This grant award is an important investment in the future of our trail system,” said Laura Van Valkenberg, president of GHTF. “The River Trail has long been envisioned as a connection that will bring communities together and expand safe opportunities for people to walk and bike. We are grateful to the town of Cloverland for its leadership and to everyone who has helped move this project forward.”

The River Trail Commission over the years has been led by Favorite and now Jim Swenson, who currently chairs the commission.

“The River Trail Commission has been working for years to turn the vision of connecting Eagle River and St. Germain into reality,” said Swenson. “This funding allows us to take a significant first step forward while laying the groundwork for future phases of the River Trail and a stronger regional trail network.”

River Trail Phase 1 includes two key elements. The project will construct approximately 1.9 miles of multi-use, off-road trail from Old Highway 70 Road to Wilderness Trail. It will also include bike route route and wayfinding signage along 1.7 miles of Old Highway 70 Road, providing a more immediate connection between the new River Trail segment, the existing St. Germain Trail and the Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail System.

Projects, timelines

Gov. Tony Evers, together with the DOT, announced in late August over $32 million in federal funding for 49 local transportation improvement projects in communities, including the town of Cloverland, across the state to help local governments build or expand safe, nonmotorized transportation options such as bicycle and pedestrian facilities, trail projects and Safe Routes to School Program projects.

“These sorts of projects make a real difference in the quality of people’s lives, in the growth of our communities, and provide much-needed improvements to ensure our kids can walk and bike to school safely, workers can get to work on time, and Wisconsinites and visitors alike can enjoy new ways of getting around our communities all across the state,” said Evers. “A strong 21st-century transportation system works best when the needs of all users are accounted for, and that’s exactly what this program will help us do.”

Many of the TAP projects are working to expand already-existing bike and pedestrian paths to better connect communities and school zones, offering Wisconsinites increased accessibility to sustainable transportation methods. Administered by DOT, TAP funding is distributed according to four geographic population categories.

Cloverland was awarded its grant in the TAP Rural projects category serving Wisconsin communities with census-designated populations of less than 5,000. A total of $11,402,553 in federal funds has been allocated to 11 total improvement projects in these areas.

Favorite said he was thrilled Cloverland was chosen for the River Trail project grant.

“For the past eight years, the River Trail Commission and GHTF have worked continuously to plan, promote and develop the River Trail. It is especially rewarding to see that sustained effort result in the first phase becoming a reality,” said Favorite. “Connecting Cloverland to the nationally recognized 55-mile Heart of Vilas County Trails system demonstrates the strong demand for, and popularity of, bicycling and pedestrian trails in our area. This project will create a safer and more connected route for residents and visitors while building on the extensive recreational trail network that already makes Vilas County such a special place to live and visit.”

Van Valkenberg noted funding for this grant is targeted for DOT’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2030, so projects won’t get any funding coverage until calendar year 2029 and that River Trail planners should target a 2029 construction timeframe.

“While this is further out than we had hoped, in the meantime we will proceed with the engineering design work and other components of the project that can happen sooner,” said Van Valkenberg. “We will also continue fundraising for this phase and next phases of the trail.”

Once completed, the River Trail also would link the paved 55-mile Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail System with the 12.7-mile Three Eagle Trail, a biking and walking trail between Eagle River and Three Lakes.