TRAIL CONNECTION PROJECT FUNDED BY FEDERAL GRANT

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
ST. JOSEPH –  Southwest Michigan Planning Commission Senior Planner Marcy Hamilton reported to Berrien County Commissioners last week that the trail connection project will be getting a $4 million federal grant to complete the project. The funding will help connect McCoy’s Creek Trail to the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail. The new grant will not require any local match, she noted.
The news comes just days after Buchanan City Commissioners approved a contract to extend the McCoy’s Creek Trail from the city limits out to the River St. Joe Brewery. Hamilton said trail development has long been a goal for area communities in Southwest Michigan and has recently caught the attention of state and federal government officials.
County officials have been working for several years on a number of trail projects, from ones coming north from South Bend and Mishawaka through Niles and eventually north to Berrien Springs and St. Joseph to lakeshore trails along Lake Michigan south to Indiana and Illinois and then north to other parts of Michigan.
The RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation was secured through Congressman Tim Walberg’s office. RAISE stands for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity.
“This is really exciting; we’ve been working on this connection between Buchanan and Niles for a while,” Hamilton said. “We’re this great gateway to Michigan, and this is a critical piece.”
She noted that the existing Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail runs from Mishawaka to Niles and is 17 miles in length. That trail is in the process of being extended northward and this new 3.5 mile trail connection will allow for the McCoy’s Creek Trail to extend north and east from River St. Joe Brewery to meet up with the River Valley Trail.
“The McCoy’s Creek Trail goes right through Buchanan and follows the creek which is a small trout stream,” she added. “It’s beautiful and making this connection has been a priority for a long time.”
As proposed, a 10-foot wide asphalt trail will be constructed along Walton Road from the River St. Joe Brewery north and east to Winn Road where a trailhead will be constructed. The trail section from the Buchanan city limits to the brewery is expected to be done this year after Buchanan City Commission action earlier last week.
Hamilton reported that the connection project between the two trails represents a successful partnership between several governmental entities and organizations. Those organizations include the Friends of McCoy’s Creek Trail, United Way/Be Healthy Berrien and Friends of Berrien County Trails.
Hamilton noted that the deadline to officially apply for the RAISE grant is Jan. 30. The resolution for the grant was discussed at last week’s administration committee meeting and County Commissioner Jim Curran said the resolution will be officially approved at this week’s county board meeting.
The grant is also contingent on a resolution from Niles Township to maintain the new trail section. Hamilton and Curran said Niles Township officials are expected to approve the maintenance contract for the trail before the Jan. 30 application deadline.
County Administrator Brian Dissette said the county works closely with local municipalities on these trail grant projects. The county board has agreed to pursue grants throughout the county if local municipalities step up to maintain trails once they’re constructed.
If everything goes as planned, Hamilton said construction on the new trail connection project will begin in the spring/summer of 2026 and be completed in the winter of 2026-2027.
As for the $4 million cost estimate, she said she’s confident that the estimate is accurate as it was done by the Wightman engineering firm. Wightman is handling the current McCoy’s Creek Trail extension project and they have a good idea of the costs.
Last week’s county board meeting also featured discussion of the board meeting schedule for the year. The board traditionally holds four or five night meetings at locations around the county each year and commissioners discussed sites in Berrien Springs, New Buffalo, Three Oaks, Benton Township and the Coloma/Watervliet area as possible locations.