The Community Foundation of St. Clair County has received a $981,000 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation to continue efforts at completing the Bridge to Bay (B2B) Trail system.

The Community Foundation is the lead fiduciary for a coalition of regional stakeholders who have been working on the remaining gaps in the B2B Trail since 2017. When fully completed the B2B trail will stretch 52 miles from Algonac up to Lakeport State Park. 

“The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation has been one of our strongest partners since we first began this effort several years ago,” said Randy Maiers, the president & CEO of the Community Foundation. “With their help, we have built an impressive coalition of local partners and communities all focused on the goal of completing the remaining trail gaps.”

This phase of funding will support a range of planning, engineering, and construction projects in these communities:

• Burtchville Township
• East China Township
• Fort Gratiot Township
• Port Huron
• St. Clair Township
• St. Clair
• Cottrellville Township
• Algonac

The Friends of the St. Clair River is the lead coordinator for project logistics and planning for these trail projects. “The total cost of this phase is over $2.5 million and addresses just over 14 miles of trails,” said Sheri Faust, the executive director of the Friends group. “Some of this funding will go towards planning, design, and engineering, while other communities are ready for another round of construction,” she added.

The first phase of trail projects launched in 2020 with significant funding from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation along with State and local funding. Those initial projects were in Port Huron, St. Clair, and Marysville and had a total cost exceeding $5.4 million. Highlights of that phase included the new pedestrian bridge over the Black River Canal as a part of the Campus & Canal Trail segment.

“These trails connect communities to local assets along our waterfront,” added Maiers. “The new pedestrian bridge is a great example of connecting two schools and the families that live in those surrounding neighborhoods.”

Greg Abbey is the Supervisor of Cottrellville Township in southern St. Clair County. The township will receive almost $50,000 for planning, design, and engineering. “The Bridge to Bay Trail has been a key initiative of mine,” he said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see it gaining new momentum, and I’m grateful for the continued support from our local Community Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation.”

According to Faust, the remaining trail segments will take several more years to complete, and several million dollars more. “Trails are very expensive,” she said. “And they’re just not financially viable without other foundation support as well as our State partners such as the MEDC, MDNR, MDOT, and SEMCOG.”

Karen Walker, resident of Fort Gratiot, uses the trail frequently with her family. “I use the Bridge To Bay Trail over the Black River Canal almost every day! My 4-year-old son, who truly loves the outdoors, loves to take jogging stroller rides on the trail. We prefer this route over other areas because of the nature that can be observed. From chipmunks to a variety of birds and butterflies, this trail is a great addition to our community!”

To learn more about the Bridge to Bay Trail system, visit www.BridgeToBay.org. Have questions or want to help grow the Bridge to Bay Trail? Contact Natacha Hayden at (810) 984-4761 or natacha@stclairfoundation.org.