Greene commissioners OK contract for Waynesburg-to-Wisecarver trail engineering work
A multi-use trail from Waynesburg to the Wisecarver Recreation Area took a step closer to reality Thursday.
The Greene County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a Multimodal Transportation Fund commitment letter and contract through the Commonwealth Finance Authority for preliminary engineering work on the trail.
The county conducted a feasibility study of the trail in 2022 through a grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The commissioners expect the trail to be somewhere between four and five miles long, though the precise route has yet to be determined. In February, Clerk Jeff Marshall said the route could follow 10 Mile Creek, Route 21 or a mix of both.
Chairman Jared Edgreen said once the engineering work is complete, the county would look at getting further grants to help in the construction of the trail.
“This takes a little bit of time to get through this, but still moving forward, still excited to see this amenity really highlighted in our community, as Wisecarver will be,” he said.
Vice Chairman Betsy McClure agreed.
“Creating Wisecarver to be a destination, to bring people here to Greene County, is important,” she said.
The trail is part of a series of improvements the county is making around Wisecarver, such as construction of a seven-slip kayak launch and the potential stocking of fish by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission. The next phase of construction will include a boat launch, nature playground for kids, waterless restrooms and part of a walking trail commissioners said will eventually extend around the reservoir.
Marshall estimated design work on the Waynesburg-to-Wisecarver connector trail would take eight to 10 months. When construction would get underway would depend on permitting, as well as when the county could obtain funding. Edgreen has put the potential cost of the trail at around $3 million.
Groundbreaking would be “hopefully sooner than later,” Marshall said.
“Depending on how much the project would cost, grants are usually $250 to $300,000 …so then how many of those have got to wind up to go and make it happen?” he said.