Holcomb dedicates new trail section in Elkhart

May 11—ELKHART — Following his Thursday appearance at a key RV industry event in Elkhart, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb made a quick trip to another part of town.

The governor took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the River Greenway Trail at the Elkhart Environmental Center, 1717 E. Lusher Ave. There, he spoke to community members, local officials and the media about details for the fourth round of the Next Level Trails grant program, which will dedicate an additional $30 million to connect communities through more hiking, biking, and riding trails across the state.

The 1.86-mile asphalt trail was built with help from a $642,600 NLT grant awarded in 2021 as part of the second round of NLT grant funding.

NLT is the largest infusion of trails funding in state history, a news release stated. The now $180 million program is administered by the DNR and facilitates critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities. To date, NLT has awarded $150 million to 75 projects across the state.

"Round 4 of our trails program will be open July 1," Holcomb said at the event.

The fourth round will award up to $22.5 million to regional projects and up to $7.5 million to local projects. The application period for the fourth round begins July 1 and ends Aug. 1 at 5 p.m. Eligible applicants include units of government or 501©(3) nonprofit organizations. Applicants are limited to one application per round.

"Through the largest infusion of trail funding in Hoosier history, Indiana's Next Level Trails are connecting Hoosiers and our communities to each other and the great outdoors like never before," Holcomb earlier in the release. "With this next round of trails investments, we'll continue Indiana's momentum as a nationally recognized trail leader, building new connections across the state."

The new paved trail follows the Elkhart River and connects to the existing Mapleheart Greenway at Hively Avenue to create a contiguous link between Elkhart and the city of Goshen. The project also creates a connection between the Elkhart Environmental Center, Studebaker Park, Mary Beck Elementary School, and Elkhart High School. Key partners include the Elkhart Redevelopment Commission, Elkhart Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Elkhart County Community Foundation.

"We are very lucky to have a community that values trails and recognizes their importance not just for recreation but also for transportation," said Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson in the release and who was also on hand for the ceremony. "Trails are vital connectors for our residents to enjoy and for our commuters to get to work. The River Greenway Trail is a gorgeous addition to Elkhart County's trail system, and we couldn't have done it without the Next Level Trails Grant. Many thanks to the state, city staff, and all our other partners who made this trail a reality."

Including the River Greenway, 17 of the 75 NLT projects are complete, totaling 54.3 miles of trail built since the program's inception in 2018.

To learn more, visit www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/recreation/grants/next-level-trails/applicant-information.