The Chief Ladiga Trail is Alabama’s first extended rails-to-trails project. It wanders 33 miles through Calhoun and Cleburne counties and it connects the municipalities of Anniston, Weaver, Jacksonville and Piedmont. Seen along the way are beautiful wetlands, streams, forests, farmland, and a horizon filled with mountains. The Chief Ladiga Trail is a family oriented pathway that provides a safe, non-motorized way to travel, exercise and relax while enjoying the outdoors. Because projects like this tend to increase tourism, benefit businesses, decrease crime and improve the quality oflife, we hope that you will enjoy and support the Chief Ladiga Trail for many years yet to come.
History of The Chief Ladiga Trail
The Chief Ladiga Trail began in 1990 when the Calhoun County Commission and the City of Piedmont purchased the first 22 miles of corridor using a grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). In 1993, the City of Piedmont received an Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) enhancement grant, through the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDoT), to fund construction of the first 8.9 mile section of the trail. The project continued to develop when in 1994, the cities of Piedmont and Jacksonville and the Cleburne County Commission were awarded grants from the National Recreation Trails Fund (NRTF) to construct trail access facilities. Also in 1997, the city of Weaver received an ISTEA grant to construct its 2.5 mile section of the trail. In 1998, both Weaver and Jacksonville opened their respective sections of the trail, and in 1999 Anniston completed it segments of the trail. Also, in 1999 Jacksonville State University (JSU) was awarded a TEA-21 grant to complete its segment across campus. In January 2001, Cleburne County began bridge rehabilitation and was awarded a TEA-21 grant to fund development from South Creek to Borden Springs. Completion ofthe trail to the Georgia state line and connection to the Silver Comet Trail is now complete.
no charge
http://www.jacksonvillerecreation.com | , Jacksonville, ALjurns@jacksonville-al.org, 256-435-8115
AL 36265