Background
Lauree’s Trail in Green Lake would connect the cities of Green Lake, Ripon, and Berlin, providing much-needed access to active transportation and walking/biking opportunities for these small communities. As a popular tourist destination in the summer months, the trail would give an added boost not only to local community members, but also to area businesses and the local economy through the bolstered visitors coming to enjoy Wisconsin summers. While project stakeholders have been successful in getting community buy-in and fundraising, they have been unsure how best to approach getting larger sums of money to make the project a reality – in part because the route for Lauree’s Trail had multiple options to consider.
Progress
Bike Fed met with stakeholders in the summer of 2022 to serve as a resource in how to approach a grant application. At that meeting, we were informed of multiple options for the trail going through Green Lake – one option would provide more options for active transportation, the other would provide greater access to schools, the community center, and downtown Green Lake. While stakeholders were unsure which option to proceed with, Bike Fed advocated for a “both” option. Providing safe opportunities to bike and walk for everyone is the goal, and stakeholders agreed that pursuing both options as part of the trail was the best route forward.
Stakeholders attended the 2022 Healthy Communities Summit, where they were able to get additional assistance during the event’s Grant Writing Workshop. Bike Fed is continuing to assist in ensuring a quality Transportation Alternatives Program application is submitted, and keeping stakeholders informed of additional solicitations that may be available to these smaller communities.
Get Involved
Funding availability is of utmost importance to get this trail the maintenance it needs. Bike Fed has been advocating for waiving the match for TAP dollars for rural communities like Boscobel, Woodman, and Wauzeka. Reach out to your legislators to let them know you support increased TAP funding, and you also want to see legislation waiving the match for small communities. To find your state legislators, click here.
Partners
Green Lake Greenways