DCNR Announces $900,000 Investment in Trail Projects in Clarion County

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published November 13, 2019 5:40 am
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HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced on Tuesday grant funding totaling $900,000.00 for two trail projects in Clarion County.

(Photo courtesy of Rail 66 Country Trail)

“Trails provide a close-to-home connection to nature and recreation that is always free or affordable,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “We are happy to provide these grants to increase trail miles and expand the outdoor recreation assets that draw visitors to the Pennsylvania Wilds.”

The grants are:

  • Clarion County, $500,000.00 from the Keystone Fund for work on the Armstrong Trail in Brady Township. The project will include the rehabilitation of the southern portion of the Brady Tunnel, and construction of approximately two miles of trail.
  • Rail 66 County Trail, $400,000.00 from the Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Program Fund for development of the Knox Kane Rail Trail in Farmington Township. The project will include the creation of approximately 8 miles of trail from the intersection of SR 66 and SR 36 to the Forest County line, and a trailhead.

The 36-mile long Armstrong Trail is located on the former Allegheny Valley Railroad line along the eastern bank of the Allegheny River in Armstrong and Clarion Counties.

The Knox Kane Rail Trail is named for the former rail line it follows, the Knox and Kane Railroad, which was used for both freight and passenger service. Trail advocates hope to one day expand this scenic rail-trail to 74 miles.

The investments are among 37 grants, awarded statewide, totaling approximately $11.2 million, for trail projects including planning, construction and rehabilitation. A complete list is on the DCNR website. A complete list (DOC) of the grants is on the DCNR website.

DCNR has a goal of providing a trail within 15 minutes of every Pennsylvanian. Dunn said anyone who wants to visit a trail but is not sure where to go can find more than 11,000 miles and events listed on the website www.explorePAtrails.com. Learn more about trail experiences in Pennsylvania on this short video.

In Pennsylvania, outdoor recreation generates $29.1 billion in consumer spending, $1.9 billion in state and local tax revenue, $8.6 billion in wages and salaries, and sustains 251,000 direct Pennsylvania jobs.

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