Pictured from left are Paden City Mayor John “Hoppy” Hopkins, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, and Tim Meeks from Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Council who assisted with writing the grant application.

On Jan. 7 Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration and the West Virginia Division of Highways, presented at $32,000 grant to Paden City for riverfront trail improvements.

At that evening’s Paden City Council meeting, it was said they might use the funding for lighting and benches along the trail. “Additionally we will be improving access to our transient boat dock which is scheduled to be installed in the spring,” said Mayor John “Hoppy” Hopkins. “We will meet with representatives from Charleston in the next few weeks to complete the scope for the project.”

The Paden City project was one of 22 receiving a total of $1.19 million in federal funds from the 2012 Recreational Trails Program.

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is an assistance program of the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The program provides funds through the Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) legislation which allows states to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both non-motorized and motorized recreational trail use. The West Virginia Division of Highways administers the RTP for the state.