A joint effort to obtain a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant between the City of Martinsburg, the Berkeley County Commission, the Hagerstown/Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning Organization (HEPMPO) and the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) has garnered a successful outcome.
A RAISE grant totaling $20,820,536 has been awarded for work on the Martinsburg Greenway Trail project.
“We are thrilled to announce that the City of Martinsburg has been awarded a $20.8 million RAISE grant for the Martinsburg Greenway Trail project — a true game changer for our community,” Martinsburg Mayor Kevin Knowles said. “This transformative project will create 6.2 miles of dedicated multi-use trails along Tuscarora Creek, connecting to the WV Route 9 regional bicycle trail.”
In addition, the project will include the cleanup and removal of abandoned structures over the Tuscarora Creek, slope stabilization to prevent further streambank erosion, multi-use trail with fencing, pedestrian bridges, traffic calming measures and approximately 20 improved trail crossings, shared a representative from U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito’s office.
Capito was instrumental in securing the grant for Martinsburg by advocating for the funds through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee and as the ranking member of the State Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. Capito has now been named chairman of the EPW Committee for the upcoming year.
“Modernizing West Virginia’s infrastructure is critical to our future success, and I am glad to see these resources heading our way,” Capito said. “I know that these projects can make a difference in Martinsburg, Morgantown and communities across West Virginia in the coming years. I was also proud to author letters of support to the Department of Transportation for several of these projects, and I look forward to seeing their completion benefit our state.”
The Martinsburg Greenway Trail project builds off the existing West Virginia Route 9 trail and Frog Hollow Trail. When the grant application was submitted, it was discussed that the project would potentially connect the Frog Hollow Trail to the Raleigh Street Extension Trail and would also connect to War Memorial Park, Oatesdale Park, Oak Street Park, P.O. Faulkner Park and Charlotte Prather Park.
“It’s going to be something that is going to connect and utilize partnerships between the county parks and rec and the county to be able to put this trail all together, including the Creekside plan,” Knowles said at the time of application for the grant.
The Martinsburg Greenway Trail project consists of 6.2 miles of paved, 10-foot-wide, ADA-compliant pedestrian- and bicycle-shared use paths that follow the natural blends of the Tuscarora Creek.
“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito for her steadfast support in helping secure this grant,” Knowles said. “Her dedication to improving our region’s infrastructure and quality of life has been instrumental in making this project a reality.”
Knowles went on to say that the securing of this grant is a big win for Martinsburg, as it keeps the trail project going and moves the city forward quickly and keeps momentum going.