News

Brevard, Henderson County leaders applaud $24 million Ecusta Trail grant

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 23, 2023

Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof and Henderson County Board of Commissioners Chair Rebecca McCall are applauding news of a $24 million construction grant as a vital boost to the "transformative" Ecusta Trail.

“The City of Brevard is ecstatic about being awarded the RAISE grant for the Ecusta Trail,” Copelof said. “I am extremely proud of the dedication, perseverance, and shared vision of all our collaborative partners. This is truly the result of an amazing team effort. The Ecusta Trail will be transformative for this region in terms of economic, social and health impacts across our communities. I will be concentrating now on moving forward as soon as possible and making this trail a reality.”

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis’s announced Thursday that the city of Brevard is slated to receive a $24.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program. The RAISE program is designed to fund multi-modal transportation infrastructure projects with significant regional impact. Once complete, the 18.9-mile rail-trail will connect the Hendersonville and Brevard, passing Laurel Park, Horse Shoe and Etowah.

About $18.7 million of the RAISE grant would fund trail construction in Transylvania, with the balance serving as matching funds for work in Henderson County, the online news site Brevard Newsbeat reported Friday.

“I was excited to learn of this federal grant that will be awarded to help complete the entirety of the Ecusta Trail,” McCall said. “Many thanks to the Henderson County staff who assisted in the work to complete the grant application and to all of those who have been part of this dream for the past 15+ years. I look forward to seeing the first bit of asphalt being poured and bridges being replaced very soon.”

Nearly two decades after the closure of the Ecusta Paper Mill in Brevard, EcustaRails2Trails LLC purchased the railbanked corridor in 2021 with the goal of rehabilitating the abandoned line to create a linear park for people of all ages and abilities.

With the help of the RAISE grant, the disused rail corridor will one day connect communities in Henderson and Transylvania Counties and enhance access options to Pisgah National Forest.
In addition to the trail’s recreational benefits and tourism-related economic opportunities, the project also seeks to serve the needs of rural communities that have experienced historic disinvestment. It will link communities to job centers, medical facilities, and stores in both counties. The rehabilitated railroad corridor will incorporate safety enhancements (like crossing beacons and emergency access points) and will help reduce the risk of collisions by providing a separate path for pedestrians and bicyclists away from high-speed rural roadways. It will also provide a safe, multimodal connection to Pisgah Forest Elementary School and Davidson River School in Brevard and Etowah Elementary School in Etowah. The Ecusta Trail will further increase transit options by linking directly to two stops on the Transylvania Fixed Route bus service in Brevard and to the Apple Country Public Transit in Hendersonville, facilitating safe access to these bus stops.


Tillis’ announcement came roughly one year after Henderson County secured additional U.S. DOT funds toward constructing the remainder of the trail in Henderson County.
“The RAISE grant supports the construction and development of the entire trail,’ said John Mitchell, Henderson County Manager. “We are looking forward to the continued partnership with NCDOT and the City of Brevard.”
The grand does not signal the end of fundraising efforts for the Ecusta Trail’s capital campaign. While federal transportation grants fund the construction of the trail itself, they do not pay for amenities like parking areas at designated access points, benches, bike repair stations or bathrooms.