Current Grants

Northampton and New Haven Canal Rail Trail

Organization City of Northampton, MA
State MA
Year 2010
Type Bike Path

The trail connecting Northampton to Hatfield is an important addition to the growing network serving riders throughout Hampshire County. Bikes Belong’s $5,000 investment will fund survey and design work to get the project to the “shovel ready” phase with the goal of leveraging a much larger investment of state and federal dollars for construction. When completed, the project will tie to more than 24 miles of trail and serve some of the largest affordable-housing residential areas in Northampton.

See map: Google Maps

Deckers Creek Trail Undercut Repair

Organization Monongahela River Trails Conservancy
State WV
Year 2010
Type Facility

The Deckers Creek Trail is part of a 48-mile trail network connecting downtown Morgantown with communities across three counties. Utilized by riders of all ages and abilities, the trail provides direct routes to and from schools, work, shopping centers, and parks, and is incorporated into West Virginia University Hospitals’ rehabilitation and wellness programs.This $10,000 grant will allow the Monongahela River Trails Conservancy to complete critical repairs to the trail surface and foundation while improving drainage and stabilizing the stream banks to prevent further erosion. These necessary repairs will keep the trail system accessible to thousands of users each year. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Boyd)

See map: Google Maps

Grainger Road Bike Trail

Organization City of Conway, SC
State SC
Year 2010
Type Bike Routes/Lanes

The City of Conway has ambitious plans for incorporating bicycle and pedestrian friendly infrastructure into its community and this $2,250 grant will contribute to those efforts. New bicycle-safe drainage grates and a redesigned trail crossing at U.S. Highway 378 will improve the connection between an existing recreation center, a new recreation complex, neighboring subdivisions, and a low-income neighborhood. Conway sees this project as an important part of its goal to create a bike route around the city and ultimately connect to the East Coast Greenway.

See map: Google Maps

Kings Mountain Gateway Trail

Organization Kings Mountain Gateway Trails, Inc.
State NC
Year 2010
Type Bike Path

The first two miles of the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail opened in November 2009, and already the trail has become a popular recreation destination for Kings Mountain bikers, hikers, and walkers. This $5,000 grant will fund a 2.8 mile extension of the multi-use trail, including stream and rail crossings. The new trail will allow cyclists to start their ride from downtown Kings Mountain and improve connectivity within the town as well. Future phases of the trail will connect to nearby state parks, the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, the Kings Mountain National Military Park in South Carolina, the cities of Shelby and Cherryville, NC, and the Carolina Thread Trail. Land has also been allocated along the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail for three future singletrack mountain biking trails.

See map: Google Maps

Housatonic Bike Trail

Organization Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area, Inc.
State CT
Year 2010
Type Bike Routes/Lanes

The Housatonic Covered Bridge Bike Trail extends for 45 miles along New England’s scenic Housatonic River Valley, eventually linking more than 100 miles of trail, dozens of town centers, one high school, two elementary schools, a major prep school, and six-dozen heritage sites. The wide, flat trail provides cyclists with relief from the region’s hilly topography. In addition to this $5,000 grant from Bikes Belong, the National Park Service committed one year of technical assistance to the trail’s development. The trail will be part of a system running from New Milford, CT, to Pownal, VT, and will connect to the East Coast Greenway in the future.

Watch the video of the press conference about the grant with Congressman Murphy at Kent Falls State Park in Kent, CT and the video showing what it's like to ride the trail. Read the stories about the grant in Republican American and the Litchfield County Times.

See map: Google Maps