Manitowish Waters bike trail extension gets underway

Construction has begun for a bike trail extension in Manitowish Waters. The trail, which has been a project for roughly almost two years now, runs along U.S. Highway 51 from Powell Road to Manitowish and Deer Path roads.

The cost of the project totaled $417,650 and it’s a bill taxpayers won’t have to foot. To date, according to a press release from Joyce Hoehn of the project’s committee, $376,539 of that total has been raised through donations. 

More funding is needed yet, though: “Therefore any additional donations to the Bike Trail Extension Project would be greatly appreciated.”

Town chairman John Hanson indicated one of the reasons the project has taken time to start was due to easements and permits it had to secure from the state Department of Natural Resources and state Department of Transportation (DOT).

Hanson said the reason the 1.5-mile trail ends at town roads, Manitowish and Deer Path roads, is because that’s what the DOT advised and wanted to avoid the trail “stopping in the middle of nowhere, like at the bridge.”

Also, he said, a user agreement with Manitowish Waters Bike Trail Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, was confirmed between the involved parties because that will be the entity maintaining the trail.

According to Hoehn’s press release, construction of the bike trail will continue through the fall and the gavel bed will have settled before paving as soon as spring weather allows. It should be ready to be used for bikers and walkers by mid to late May, Hoehn’s press release said. 

“The plan is to continue that trail to our town line with Boulder Junction and Boulder Junction of course is working on their trail coming toward us,” Hanson said. “So they finished theirs to N. Creek Road. So once we get to S. Townline then that connection would be from N. Creek Road to connect to us.”

Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].