CARDIN, MIKULSKI ANNOUNCE $2 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO COMPLETE C&D WESTERN PORTION OF C& D TRAIL

Press Release — Office of Senator Ben Cardin

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced a U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) grant for slightly more than $2 million to complete the western 1.8 miles of Chesapeake & Delaware (C&D) Trail.  The funding will be used to complete the final Maryland portion of the 17-mile trail linking Chesapeake City, Maryland to Delaware City, Delaware.

“Completion of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Trail has been one of my top priorities,” said. Senator Cardin, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee.  “The C&D Trail is a recreational treasure and this $2 million in federal funds ensures the completion of the Trail, which will attract tourists who want to enjoy the experience of hiking and biking between Chesapeake City, Maryland and Delaware City, Delaware.”

“The C&D Canal is a pathway to our history and a pathway to enjoying nature and recreation,” said Senator Mikulski, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related agencies. “I’m so proud to fight for Maryland in the Senate. These federal dollars will bring jobs to the area and help grow the local tourism economy. Improving this trail will help draw new visitors to our state’s national treasures and preserve them for generations to come.”

“I join Senator Cardin in congratulating Chesapeake City on receiving this grant. The C&O Trail extension will provide economic, tourism and recreational benefits to Chesapeake City,” said Maryland Secretary of Planning Richard Eberhart Hall. “This project and others like it advance Governor O’Malley’s goal to restore the health of Chesapeake Bay by investing in our existing towns and encouraging sustainable communities. The trail project will make Chesapeake City more accessible to many visitors and help them enjoy its unique history and heritage.”

The C&D Trail is a planned 17-mile bicycle and pedestrian pathway between Maryland and Delaware that runs along the north bank of the C&D Canal. The Trail will have restroom facilities and signage and provide visitors with direct access to the ferry in Chesapeake City.