A new senate bill may allow county road commissioners access to the state’s Natural Resources Trust Fund. This funding has provided over $1 billion to improve outdoor recreational areas and acquire land since its creation in 1976.
Currently only certain local officials have access to the funding.
Managing Director for the Crawford County Road Commission Donald Babcock said it can be challenging for some rural townships to utilize the funds. He said passing the bill would make sense since road commissioners are used to working with trails and parks.
“A trailway is basically just a small road and that's what we do for a living,” Babcock said. “The townships don't do that. They have to hire you know outside help and typically road commissions have that already in staff.”
He said counties are limited to only two funds when building a non-motorized trial.
“One is the natural resources trust funds and the other is the transportation alternative program funds, which are federal dollars that are administered through MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation),” Babcock said.
The Iron Belle Trail is two hiking and biking trails that connect the western Upper Peninsula to downtown Detroit. According to Babcock, parts of the trail remain uncompleted in Crawford County due to a lack of qualified personnel.
He says the first thing his team would do if granted access to the funding is complete the unfinished portions of the 2,000-mile-long trail.
“The next steps would be for the road Commission to apply for some trust funds,” Babcock said. “We have different segments of the Iron Belle Trail that have not been completed yet and the main reason is because the townships in those areas just don't have the funding to or personnel to take this task out.”
This bill was proposed by state Sen. Michele Hoitenga back in September and is waiting for a hearing in the Senate appropriations committee.
Hoitenga could not be reached for comment.
