Durham Parks and Recreation awarded $500,000 to improve American Tobacco Trail

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Great Trails State Program to improve the American Tobacco Trail.

The funding was established by the North Carolina General Assembly to promote recreational tourism, economic development, and improved quality of life across the state.

The money will be matched dollar-for-dollar through the City's Capital Improvement Program (CIP), bringing the total investment in the project to $1 million.

The funding will be used to address slope failure mitigation and repaving needs along the trail.

The Great Trails State Program, administered by the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, awarded $25 million across the state.

Durham County plans to use $500,000 in grant money to acquire the 26-mile rail corridor and convert it to a bike and pedestrian trail that will connect Durham with Roxboro. A trail planning study for the 18-mile Durham County segment is underway.

"We are incredibly grateful to the General Assembly for creating this funding opportunity and elated that Durham County will benefit from the additional grant funding," said Ellen Beckmann, Durham County Transportation Director. "Acquisition of this corridor and the development of a trail has been a long-standing priority of Durham County, and it is also part of state and national trail networks. This state grant helps us continue to advance this significant project to transform an unused rail line into a transportation and recreational asset for residents,"