Office: 156 East First Street | New Richmond, WI 54017
Phone: (715) 246-4268 Fax: (715) 246-7129
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 7:00 am to 4:30 pm, Friday 7:00 - 11:30 am

$1M Grant Awarded to City for CTH K Trail

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July 20, 2023

CONTACT INFORMATION: Noah Wiedenfeld, City Administrator (nwiedenfeld@newrichmondwi.gov)

City of New Richmond Awarded $1M Grant for CTH K Trail

The City of New Richmond is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $1 million grant to assist with the construction of an off-street trail along County Road K. Once completed, the trail will connect the Fox Run and Whispering Prairie neighborhoods to the City’s existing trails system.

At the direction of the City Council, City staff have actively sought state and federal financial assistance for this project for several years due to continued residential growth and the lack of bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation recently notified the City that it has been awarded a federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant in the amount of $1,019,936. The award will cover 80% of the estimated project cost, with the City responsible for paying for the balance of the work.

“We’re very excited to receive this funding. Persistence paid off. Residents have been asking for this trail for a long time, and this area was one of the largest remaining gaps in our trails system. County Road K is a busy road, and we were concerned about safety – especially children – from the Townships and the two City subdivisions” said Mayor Jim Zajkowski. “This is great news for the community.”

The future off-street trail is one of several recent and planned improvements to this corridor. In 2021, New Richmond Utilities relocated infrastructure near the CTH K Bridge in anticipation of the current reconstruction of the Bridge by St. Croix County, which is scheduled for completion in October 2023. The improved Bridge will be wider and will include a raised sidewalk on the north side to align with the future off-street trail. The St. Croix County Highway Department intends to reconstruct CTH K in two phases, beginning first in 2024 with the section from 170th Street to CTH T, followed by the section from 140th Street to 170th Street in 2025.

“I would like to thank the current and former City staff who worked on grant applications for this project over the years” said City Administrator Noah Wiedenfeld. “I also wish to acknowledge St. Croix County Highway Commissioner Robbie Krejci and his team for their collaboration and commitment to improving this corridor.”