Biden-Harris announces $21.4M grant to complete Ecusta Trail
The Ecusta Rail Trail between Hendersonville and Brevard is getting a $21.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration via the North Carolina Department of Transportation, according to a July 6 news release.
The 18.8-mile trail will connect the statewide bike route system with Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, the release said, and these funds include construction and completion of the entire Ecusta Rail Trail.
“Henderson County and all the partners involved in the Ecusta Trail project are extremely thankful to have received both the NSFLTP and RAISE grants. We will continue working with our partners and the NCDOT on the best way to administer these grants,” Henderson County government spokesperson Mike Morgan said.
The path is on an abandoned railroad route that will connect the county seats of Henderson and Transylvania counties in Western North Carolina to Pisgah National Forest.
According to past Times-News reporting, the estimated cost of the project is $31.1 million. This grant announcement comes just two weeks after North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation is providing nearly $24.6 million to fund the construction of the Ecusta Trail.
“Under President (Joe) Biden’s leadership, we are delivering infrastructure improvements on Federal and Tribal lands that communities have needed for decades,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the release. “With (the July 6) announcement, we’re making it easier for Americans to access some of our greatest natural wonders, and improving road safety in Tribal communities, which face some of the highest rates of traffic deaths in the nation.”
The project is one of seven to receive federal grants totaling $130.5 million under FHWA’s Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Projects Program, the release said. The grants recognize transportation projects of national significance that serve Federal and Tribal lands and are
part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to rebuild our infrastructure and deliver big wins for the American people.
“With this grant that is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re helping to deliver safe and reliable transportation investments that will help families and visitors explore key destinations in North Carolina such as Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said in the release “The Ecusta Rail Trail will provide an excellent opportunity for pedestrians, bicyclists and others to enjoy the great outdoors, while also providing climate-friendly connections to local communities and other destinations throughout the region.”
In addition to the grants announced July 6, FHWA also opened applications for the next round of funding under the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Projects Program. More information about the availability of $88 million in FY 2023 funds can be found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Information on how to apply is available at Grants.gov.
Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.