— GRANTSVILLE — A new trail outside of Grantsville will become a reality using a $250,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant, according to U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski.
The 10-mile Meadow Mountain Trail will build on Garrett County’s efforts to expand its outdoor recreation industry, and is projected to have an economic impact of more than $3 million, the senators said.
ARC funds will be used to complete the trail design, construct the trail and improve two trailhead parking areas. The MMT is a key segment of the larger Eastern Continental Divide Loop Trail, which will be a 150-mile recreational trail winding through the heart of Garrett County.
The MMT segment will begin near Grantsville and the Casselman River Bridge and end near state Route 495 at the University of Maryland’s 4-H Center.
The trail will traverse through public lands and will be accessible to outdoor enthusiasts for hiking, biking, backpacking, trail running, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and educational study.
Job creation and financial impact stems from hikers and bikers stopping for meals and purchasing gear at the many small businesses located near the trail, and staying the night in a nearby trail town.
“Garrett County’s scenic treasures are also economic treasures, drawing thousands of tourists to Maryland each year to enjoy our state’s natural beauty,” said Cardin, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “The Meadow Mountain Trail will further tourism and small business growth in Garrett County, creating new jobs and new economic opportunities for Western Maryland.”
“This grant is about supporting jobs in Western Maryland,” Mikulski said. “It is a smart investment that will help grow Garrett County’s economy, making an investment that will draw in new visitors, jobs and economic development to the region.”
State sources will provide $316,000, and local sources will provide $48,550, bringing the total project funding to $614,550, the announcement said.
The ARC is a federal-state partnership that works with the people of the Appalachian region to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.
More here.
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