Rolling Prairie Trail gets funding boost to renovate bridges

     Franklin County’s Rolling Prairie Trail will continue its eastward expansion following the recent acquisition of a federal grant.

     The $151,997 grant was made available to the Franklin County Conservation Department to renovate two bridges on the recreational trail that lies between Hampton and Hansell. According to Conservation Department Director Jason Gooder, the two bridges will be widened to accommodate bikers and the snowmobile trail groomer. The bridges currently measure 8 feet wide, but will be expanded to 12 feet once the project is completed.

     “We’re hoping to get started this fall. Right now we’re just going through some of the administration work and tying up some loose ends,” Gooder said. “Hopefully we’ll have it finished by late spring.”

     Gooder explained that conservation department workers will install premanufactured structures over top of the existing bridge. One bridge is 200 feet long and the other is 100 feet in length, so the project will take a considerable amount of time.

Read the full article in the Aug. 21 edition of the Hampton Chronicle.