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Paved walking trail planned for Cross Creek Lake Park

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Washington County officials are taking the first steps to construct a paved walking path around Cross Creek Lake.

The county commissioners during their regular meeting Thursday afternoon unanimously approved a $1.17 million contract with Raffle Construction of Ruffs Dale to build a 2.5-mile section of the trail this year.

This will be the first “major” section of the new paved walking trail that will eventually travel around the entire lake at the county park near West Middletown, county Planning Director Lisa Cessna said. The first phase will be built near Pavilion No. 3 on the Avella side of the park and run near the shoreline extending to Lynn Portal Road at the kayak launch.

“This is the first major step, the beginning of it,” Cessna said. “The goal is eventually to have a trail around the lake. This is piecemeal.”

The project will be paid using a $350,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with the remainder being funded through royalties from the county’s natural gas leases. It’s not known how much the entire project will cost to ring the trail around the rest of the lake, but it will take several years as the county looks for grants and funding sources, Cessna said.

“It’ll be several years before we have an entire circumference trail built,” Cessna said.

The paved trail will be similar to what was built at Mingo Creek County Park several years ago that offers a wide, smooth path that can be used by walkers, bicyclists and people in wheelchairs.

Commission Chairwoman Diana Irey Vaughan said the project is important because it will offer a recreational opportunity for all Washington County residents.

“We know there is a lot of activity in Mingo and we’re trying to accommodate that (at Cross Creek),” Irey Vaughan said. “We want to accommodate residents with all forms of activities. This is the one taxpayer benefit open to everybody.”

With the contract now awarded, construction is expected to begin in the spring when the weather improves, and the 2.5-mile section should be completed by the fall.

County officials been working to make upgrades at Cross Creek with new playgrounds and pavilions, along with rustic hiking trails through the woods.

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