MONROE - The last dozen miles of the Badger State Trail will be ready for users next spring.
Rep. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee, announced Friday that about $1.1 million in federal, state and local aid will be used to finish the trail from Belleville to Madison.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi signed the transportation grant to complete the trail Friday.
"This is a great victory for bikers and communities," Erpenbach said. "Trail users will now be able to bike from south of the Illinois border to the Capitol."
The last portion of the trail has remained unfinished because of a lack of funds to finish it.
Several bike riders have contacted Erpenbach's office over the past couple of years to encourage him and other state lawmakers to make sure the trail is completed. The riders expressed interests in either riding on the trail for recreational purposes or use the trail to commute to work in Madison. The City of Fitchburg applied for grants to complete the trail earlier this year.
The 40-mile trail connects the Jane Addams Trail in Illinois with Madison and will go through Monroe, Monticello and Belleville. The trail also allows outdoor enthusiasts to have easy access to the Cheese Country Trail, which runs from Monroe to Mineral Point, and the Sugar River Trail, which connects Brodhead and New Glarus.
According to www.badger-trail.com, the Badger State Trail will be one of the most popular trails in the state because it will connect Madison with Illinois and, as a connecting route to the Jane Addams Trail, bicyclists and hikers can reach Freeport, Ill.
Plans for the trail began in 2003 with meetings between the state and tourism and government representatives from Green and Dane counties.
The trail officially opened in July 2007.
The highlight of the trail is the Stewart Tunnel, located between Monticello and Belleville. Because of a slight bend in the tunnel, bikers will look into total darkness when they first enter the tunnel. A headlight for bikes is recommended.
Rep. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee, announced Friday that about $1.1 million in federal, state and local aid will be used to finish the trail from Belleville to Madison.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi signed the transportation grant to complete the trail Friday.
"This is a great victory for bikers and communities," Erpenbach said. "Trail users will now be able to bike from south of the Illinois border to the Capitol."
The last portion of the trail has remained unfinished because of a lack of funds to finish it.
Several bike riders have contacted Erpenbach's office over the past couple of years to encourage him and other state lawmakers to make sure the trail is completed. The riders expressed interests in either riding on the trail for recreational purposes or use the trail to commute to work in Madison. The City of Fitchburg applied for grants to complete the trail earlier this year.
The 40-mile trail connects the Jane Addams Trail in Illinois with Madison and will go through Monroe, Monticello and Belleville. The trail also allows outdoor enthusiasts to have easy access to the Cheese Country Trail, which runs from Monroe to Mineral Point, and the Sugar River Trail, which connects Brodhead and New Glarus.
According to www.badger-trail.com, the Badger State Trail will be one of the most popular trails in the state because it will connect Madison with Illinois and, as a connecting route to the Jane Addams Trail, bicyclists and hikers can reach Freeport, Ill.
Plans for the trail began in 2003 with meetings between the state and tourism and government representatives from Green and Dane counties.
The trail officially opened in July 2007.
The highlight of the trail is the Stewart Tunnel, located between Monticello and Belleville. Because of a slight bend in the tunnel, bikers will look into total darkness when they first enter the tunnel. A headlight for bikes is recommended.