What is the Project? Briefly, what are you planning to do, and how will it benefit the trail system?

It has been decades since these ditches and culverts were maintained. After heavy rains, water is ponding on and adjacent to the trail, and is eroding the edge of the trail. The drainage ditches will be re-established with the use of a donated excavator and hand shovel work. Many of the old wooden culverts under the rail grade are buried and need to be located, cleared and stabilized with R4 rip rap at each end. Two of our volunteers have offered free use and operators for an excavator to clean ditches, and a gator utility vehicle to move the stone.

At each end of this trail section, gates will be installed to keep motorized vehicles off the trail.

Improving the capacity of the trail to drain properly and keeping motorized use off the trail will protect our investment in the trail and provide for a safer trail experience.

What Are You Asking the Fund to Provide? Be specific about what you're asking the Fund to support and how that fits into the overall project. Give an approximate budget for the project that shows what you’re asking the fund to provide and any other funds you’re planning on.

We are requesting $X,XXX to purchase and deliver 58 Tons of R4 rock ($X,XXX), materials for 2 gates ($XX), and fuel for the mini-excavator and gator utility vehicle ($XX).

What Will Volunteers Do? Be clear about how much volunteer effort will be involved, along with the value of that effort compared to the materials you are asking the Fund to provide.

Volunteers will be re-establishing the ditches and drainage along two miles of trail. This includes locating the old wooden culverts under the rail grade, clearing brush and debris away from each end of the culverts, and stabilizing each end of the culvert with R4 rock (rip rap). Our volunteers have offered to provide free use of equipment and operators which includes an excavator to clean ditches, and a gator utility vehicle to move the stone. Volunteers will also install a gate at both ends of this trail segment.

The Four Seasons Trail Volunteers have been restoring the old train station in Marienville and are eager to help with the maintenance of the Knox and Kane Rail Trail. As this will be their first trail maintenance project, Steffey Trail Connections will donate 10 hours to the project at $50/hour to provide training in stormwater best management practices. This is our initial step in increasing volunteer support and becoming the main advocate for Knox & Kane trail improvements and maintenance in Forest County. The estimated value of volunteer training and labor = $X,XXX