Construction on Middlebury’s River Mill Trail will begin this spring.
The town advertised for bids in November and awarded the project to Reith Riley earlier this month. Construction is anticipated as soon as weather clears, according to Tom Enright, Middlebury Parks and Recreation superintendent. Funding for the 1-mile trail is complete, but two short neighborhood connectors are presently on hold pending additional funding.
Middlebury Parks successfully raised $1.2 million in various grants, including $717,370 from the Indiana DNR’s NextLevel Trails program. A recent crowdfunding effort through Friends of the Middlebury Parks successfully raised $56,091 from the community, and unlocked another $50,000 from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.
This trail will connect Riverbend Park and Olde Mill Park to the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail and will be huge for Middlebury and those navigating the town.
Enright was quoted as saying: “The River Mill Trail is a continuation of the Trails of Middlebury that connects our parks, neighborhoods and businesses providing safe transportation and recreation. Trail users will no longer need to cross State Road 13 to reach key destinations in Middlebury. We support this trail wholeheartedly and love this project.”
