(Charleston, W. Va.) - Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin announced the City of Charleston has been awarded $674,501 through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) for the Elk River Trail Project. The project will include the construction of a new pedestrian and bicycle pathway from the existing trail at the Kanawha and Elk Rivers confluence to the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center - bridging the gap in existing pathways. The city will provide a $168,625 match.

"I want to thank Governor Justice and his entire team for helping Charleston secure this Transportation Alternatives Program funding," said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. "The partnership the City of Charleston has had with the Governor and the Department of Transportation and Division of Highways through the Capital Connector Project, the bridge repair work, and now the Elk River Trail Project, is truly helping to transform our City, County, and State."

The Elk River Trail TAP project will create a quarter mile of additional pathway from existing trail facilities to transform Charleston's waterfront, and will enhance the work being done with the Capital Connector Project. The TAP funding will support site preparation, grading and earthwork, installation of stormwater and electrical utilities, the installation of a concrete trail with pavers, fencing, landscaping elements with trees, shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses, and amenities along the trail including benches, bike racks, trashcans and a viewfinder.

"The creation of this trail, along with the Capital Connector Project, creates an opportunity to not only showcase our unique heritage and cultural assets, but also enhances our vision of branding Charleston as a destination for outdoor recreation. This will help attract tourists no matter what their specific interest is, and the connectivity these projects provide will lead to increased tourism revenue and support local businesses in the hospitality and tourism industries," said Tim Brady, CEO of the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Elk River Trail project builds on the 2016 Charleston Bike and Trail Master Plan, the 2006 Charleston Riverfront Master Plan, the 2006 Greater Charleston Greenway Initiative, and the 2013 Imagine Charleston Comprehensive Plan & Downtown Redevelopment Plan.

Administered by the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH), the Transportation Alternatives and Recreational Trails Program supports towns, cities, and counties in developing and enhancing sidewalks, lighting, walking paths, rail trails, and more. Applications were evaluated by a committee of WVDOH representatives.