County may use grant to move part of bike trail

Ozaukee County wants to relocate about 1,500 feet of the Ozaukee Interurban Trail off Terminal Road in the Town of Grafton with the help of a $338,030 grant from the state.

During the Feb. 12 Town Board meeting,  Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Director Andrew Struck presented two options for the project, one that includes installing a paved path on the north side of Terminal Road and the other placing the trail in an easement to be acquired on the south side of Fire Ridge Golf Club. 

The state Transportation Alternatives Program grant would pay for moving the current trail portion off Terminal Road west of East River Road and would probably include a boardwalk due to the presence of wetlands, according to a request submitted to the county Natural Resources Committee. 

It will result in a continuous off-road segment of the trail for more than five miles between Grafton and Port Washington, 3.4 miles of which are in the Town of Grafton. 

The grant covers 80% of the total project cost. A required 20% match, totaling $84,507, would be covered by a $70,000 contribution from Bikes Belong and Rails to Trails grants and other private donations.

The total project cost, including a 15% contingency, is $422,537, Struck said.

The majority of the construction would be done by the county Highway Department, according to documents submitted to the county Natural Resources Committee.

The grant application and its acceptance must be approved by the Ozaukee County Board.

No action was taken by the Town Board at the Feb. 12 meeting.