Morris Leader

The Morris County Board of County Commissioners has received a recommendation to allocate over $1.3 million in grants for municipal trail design and construction projects. This initiative is part of the county's Trail Construction Grant Program, which has been running for nine years.

Betty Cass-Schmidt, Chairwoman of the Trail Construction Grant Advisory Committee, presented the 2024 recommendations at a public work session. The projects include significant developments in Morristown, Mendham Borough, Morris Plains, Randolph Township, Denville, East Hanover, and Montville.

Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw commented on the program's progress: "The evolution of this program has been truly impressive. At the end of each cycle, the Trail Grant Advisory Committee conducts an assessment meeting to develop refinements to the application process. This is crucial because building a trail is more complex than it might seem. Proper engineering is key to ensuring its durability and preventing erosion from rain or other environmental factors."

Funding for these trail projects comes from Morris County’s voter-approved Preservation Trust Fund. Established in 1992 and modified in 2002 to include a Historic Preservation Fund, voters approved further allocations for recreational trail development in 2014 by a wide margin.

Since its inception, the program has approved 54 grants leading to the construction of 28.5 miles of new recreational trails. Most have been completed successfully. The board will vote on the latest recommendations on October 23.

If passed, these projects will increase Morris County's total investment in public trails to over $6 million since 2016, enhancing nearly 29 miles of trails.