TART/Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail (Phase 1) in Leelanau County

 

 

 

 

 

TYPE OF GRANT
Capital Grant

AWARDED
June 2011 – $70,000 for first phase of multi-year project

TOTAL LEVERAGE
The proposed Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail (SBHT) winds its way through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  It has attracted $5 million in federal grants which include:

• $1.3 million awarded by the Federal Highway Administration National Scenic Byways Program (to design, engineer and construct the first segment of the trail connecting the village of Glen Arbor to the D.H. Day Campground and on to the Dune Climb).  And, $410,000 to cover the survey and design engineering for Glen Arbor to Port Oneida
• $1.625 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to construct the trail from the Dune Climb to Pierce Stocking Drive.
• $1.646 million from the Public Lands Highways Discretionary grant to construct the trail from Glen Arbor to Port Oneida.

TART Trails (Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trails) is the private fund raising entity for the project.  Additional funding of approximately $800,000 has been raised from pledges and donations by private citizens and foundations (Bob Sutherland, president of Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor, has pledged $100,000).

SUMMARY
Origin of the SBHT dates to 2002 when the state designated the Leelanau Scenic Heritage Route (LSHR) Committee to preserve the beauty and historical integrity of state highways M-22, M-109 and M-204.  The committee is a partnership comprised of 9 townships, 3 villages, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Leelanau County, Leelanau Conservancy, Leelanau Conservation District, and area chamber of commerce and local citizens.  Coordinating the committee is the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments and COG regional planner Patty O’Donnell.  She, along with support from Barbara Nelson-Jameson from the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, developed grant applications and provide oversight of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail project.

COMMUNITY NEED
Providing a safe pathway through the National Lakeshore is the overarching objective of the SBHT.  The Lakeshore has over 100 miles of soft-surfaced hiking trails, including some nine miles for equestrian use, however has no trails suitable for bicycles and other non-motorized wheeled recreation.  Road shoulders along M-22 and M-109 don’t provide safe or enjoyable recreational opportunities for most people, particularly those with children.  Additionally, the Lakeshore has less than a mile of universally accessible (handicapped accessible) trail.  The SBHT will meet the American With Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards for outdoor recreation, thus ensuring the Lakeshore can be enjoyed by people of all ages and physical abilities.

Patty O’Donnell, Regional Planner of the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments

 

 

 

 

“What I see…..”

“The Rotary Charities grant has helped match other challenge grants.  It was two years ago that we met with them to review the proposed trail.

“Also key to the SBHT was a Charities’ organizational planning capacity grant awarded two years ago to the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes to develop a fundraising strategy.  The Friends will be the organization that helps to maintain the new trail system.”

Julie Clark, Executive Director of TART

 

 

 

 

 

“What I see…..”

“The grant from Rotary Charities gave the campaign the boost it needed to secure a matching grant from the Grand Rapids-based Frey Foundation. The trail is attracting attention from around the state and is a testament to the impact trails can have on the economic, environmental and recreational aspects both at a local and statewide level.

“The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail is a great example of the Grand Vision in action. The grant from Rotary Charities helps put in place a trail that will be funded from local, state and federal grant dollars, private funding from neighbors and foundation funding from across the state will all be pooled to provide for expanded walking and bicycling facilities and access to one of the state, and nation’s, most scenic natural wonders.”