Benton’s Saline River Greenway trail gets $400K grant through Metroplan

The City of Benton Parks Department was recently awarded $400,000 for creating a trail to connect with others. 

The funding comes from the CARTS 2022 Surface Transportation Program Block Grant and will be applied to the Saline River Greenway project by the Metroplan Board. These funds may be used to reimburse the city for engineering of the project. The Parks Department will match $100,000.

The western route of the Benton Belt will meander along the Saline River and Salt Creek. It will connect all of Benton and even regional riders to this underused outdoor amenity.

This estimated 4.5-mile spur will begin at the Saline Crossing to the South and terminate at Lyle Park to the North. It will include two bridges over the Saline River.

“We are excited to work towards connectivity within Benton and our parks system.” Says Stephanie Jones, Parks Director for the City of Benton. “This work would not be possible without the support of Mayor Farmer and our Parks Committee. Their advocacy and push for quality of life continue to make Benton thrive.”