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Grant Creek Trail
Public Concern
For many years, the citizens of the Grant Creek Valley have been interested in developing a public multi-use trail parallel to Grant Creek Road Citizens have expressed concern for the safety of those who use Grant Creek Road to bicycle, walk, jog, or other means of non-motorized transportation.

Grant Creek Road is posted at 45 miles per hour, has short sight distances in several locations, and has little to no shoulder for non-motorized travel. The trail would provide a 3.3-mile public route for the combined use of pedestrians and cyclists that would connect the 13 subdivisions and other individual residences in the Grant Creek Valley. The Master Parks Plan, the 2006 Open Space Plan, and the 2001 Non-Motorized Transportation Plan all support the concept proposed by the Grant Creek Trail Project. These publicly-adopted plans indicate that trails of this type facilitate healthy means of transportation for recreation and commuting that add significantly to the public's overall quality of life.

Parks and Recreation enthusiastically supports projects like this that create meaningful connections between neighbors, places of work, places of play, and the natural beauty of the valley.

Project Updates
Trail Easement Acquisition
The trail easements have been secured, thanks to the generosity of many Grant Creek residents and landowners.

Trail Funding
City CTEP funding has been moved up and secured for the Grant Creek Trail project to fiscal year 2011 / 2012. This means that the portion of the trail within the city (about 2 miles) can likely be constructed in the summer of 2012 based upon the schedule provided by TLI, if matching funds are obtained. Here are the basic Construction Cost / CTEP / Match Numbers:
  • City portion - RMEF to city / county line
    Total construction estimate (2010 costs): $1,094,142
    CTEP grant available (fiscal year 2011 / 2012): $877,467
    Match needed - fundraising goal: $216,675
  • County portion - city / county line to Snow Bowl Road
    Total construction estimate (2010 costs): $908,306
    CTEP grant (not obligated at this time): $802,434
    Match needed - fundraising goal: $105,872
  • Total project: 3.3 miles
    Cost estimate (2010 costs): $2,002,449
    CTEP grant: $1,679,902
    Match needed - fundraising goal: $322,547

Matching Funds Campaign
The Grant Creek Trail Association is conducting a fundraising campaign to raise matching funds necessary to qualify for CTEP. In addition to money, donations of construction materials, such as fill, will be pursued to serve as match. For more information, visit Grant Creek Trail Association on Facebook, call John Beighle, President, at 406-240-4593, or email Karen Sippy. GCTA is a 501c3 organization.

County CTEP
About 1.3 miles of the trail are located out of city limits in the county. County CTEP funds for the Grant Creek Trailare scheduled for 2015. Two other county projects are slated to be completed before the Grant Creek Trail: Highway 12 and the Frenchtown south loop.

Resources & Information

Further Information