TODAY: Milton Trail Public Workshop (6:30PM)

TODAY: If you live in or near Milton and want to learn more about the proposed new trail (or just want to come out and show your support for it to make sure it gets built!), there will be a DelDOT public workshop in Milton today (Monday) at 6:30PM (Milton Public Library, Room 5, 121 Union Street).

Using an abandoned railroad right-of-way, the proposed paved pathway would connect from Federal Street (where there is already a short existing pathway to Chestnut Street and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery) to the now-isolated Wagamon’s West Shore subdivision and then all the way to Lavinia Road.

Part of the new pathway will cross the Ingrams Branch river in Milton where an old wooden railroad bridge has long sat abandoned and hidden behind years of overgrown weeds. One of the central uncertainties of the project was whether this old bridge was still structurally sound enough to be re-purposed for a bike trail. DelDOT investigated this issue earlier this year and determined that the old bridge was still sound and could have a happy second career as part of Milton’s growing “low stress” bicycle network.

The possibility for this project to move ahead is due in considerable part to the  critical financial backing it is receiving from State Senator Ernie Lopez, who is providing half of the local matching funds that the federal government requires by law for eligibility for federal financing.

Another fun fact about this proposed project: it is being managed by Bike Delaware’s former intern.

Like most awesome new bicycle infrastructure being built in Delaware, the new Milton Trail project will be managed by DelDOT and funded using transportation capital funds from the federal government.