Multi-purpose trail extending in spring

Posted 10/27/10 (Wed)

By Michael Johnson, Editor

Avid walkers of Washburn will be glad to know their regular 2.2-mile route will soon be doubled to form a loop around Washburn. The Multi-purpose Washburn Discovery Trail starts at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Harmony Park and leads towards the river where it rolls through Riverside Park and then ends near the grain elevator. The original trail was opened in 2005 and since then the hope has been to continue it to create a safe and convenient route to and from school for students. That hope is soon to come true as another path will lead walkers or bikers from the end of the trail to Renner Road and then following along US Hwy 83 it will lead its way towards Cenex and back to the start of the route at the Interpretive Center. The remaining portion of the route is made possible through a partnership with the North Dakota Department of Transportation, grants from the Safe Routes to School program, Transportation Community and System Preservation grants and a Lewis and Clark grant. The entire project has also been helped by Great River Energy who is helping by donating nearly $100,000 in fly ash and bottom for the pathway.