Background
The White River Trail Extension project has been in the works for years, looking to add 11 miles to the White River State Trail between Union Grove and Sturtevant. The extension, which is also part of the Rails to Trails Route of the Badger, would add miles of interconnectivity for those in southeastern Wisconsin.
After six years of advocacy, local stakeholders invested in making this happen had a big win in 2021. The rail corridor that the proposed extension would utilize was successfully negotiated for, an offer accepted, and the deal closed! With local and state officials coming together to secure funding, and agency personnel working with the railroads to negotiate a deal, it was a really exciting year for the White River Trail Extension project.
Now comes the next phase: decisions on who gets to use the trail, and funding the trail’s actual construction.
Progress
Bike Fed has been working with the stakeholders who secured the rail corridor to understand where we can be helpful in this next phase of the project. We’ll be working alongside locals to advocate for options that will be cyclist-friendly, and serving as a resource on funding options and opportunities for construction.
Partners
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Union Grove Rails-to-Trails
State Representative Robin Vos
Racine County