69����

The Peace Trail is a 6.6-mile trail connecting Rockport Park in Janesville to Big Hill Park in Beloit, part of which is already paved. The goal of the project is to pave the 4.6 miles from Tripp Road to Big Hill Park. The county will use revenue generated from several sources, including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the city of Janesville and charitable donations. Among those three sources, $372,000 of the $460,000 needed for the project was already available.

With the approval of $43,000 in excess sales tax revenue and $45,000 from the ATC funds, the project will be fully funded with a completion date set for November 2022. The funds from ATC were acquired by Rock County for environmental right-of-way for power lines built across the state.

Rock Trail Coalition member Dean Paynter said the Peace Trail is an important link to other trails in the area, not just Janesville to Beloit.

“You’ve got two destinations for tourism, and people will want to come and ride their bikes on this new trail,” Paynter said. “It also connects to the northern Illinois trail system going south through Beloit and to the Ice Age Trail to the north.”

Paynter said the project raised $237,000 in donations, including several donations of exceeding $20,000. The Rock Trail Coalition accounted for $23,000 in donations.

According to the of the Stateline Spinners Riding Group, the vision for the completed Peace Trail is to “provide a regional bicycling and recreation connection focused on Rock County’s natural and cultural heritage, specifically celebrating the Rock River and associated environmental corridors as a unique ecosystem with local and regional significance.”

The Stateline Spinners Riding Group says paving the trail will enhance quality of life, diversify opportunities for recreation and tourism within the region, and bring positive economic effects for the communities it connects and passes through. The Peace Trail connects to the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Janesville and to the trail network in Rockport Park.