City plans to extend bike path
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — City officials are busy planning for the extension of the bike path, following councilors’ acceptance of a $130,000 grant during their July 1 meeting.
Map of Presque Isle’s existing bike path and proposed addition. 
The project has been nearly a year in the making and will extend the path west toward Northern Maine Community College and Micmac housing, on Edgemont Drive, by connecting State Street with Central Drive.
“Almost a year ago, Presque Isle City Council approved the submittal for a path grant through the Maine Department of Transportation to connect the bike path running parallel to the Loop Road (State Street and Central Drive),” said Deputy City Manager Martin Puckett.
Puckett helped spearhead the grant application process.
“The grant was extremely competitive; we were one of the 120 communities to submit a grant proposal. We are excited to announce that last month we received notification indicating our grant application was approved; however, there were no state funds available at this time,” said Puckett.
Specifics of the project are as follow:
• A 20 percent local match is required ($32,442 will come from the city’s matching grant account that has a balance of over $300,000);
• The path will be extended approximately 1,750 feet by eight feet wide;
• It will connect NMCC, the Industrial Park, Micmac housing, Presque Isle Middle School, low income housing and Homeless Services of Aroostook with downtown;
• It will be adjacent to the Peace Park;
• Fills a gap, connecting the path to six miles of existing path; and
• Details of the project will be presented to many groups, including: City Council, Planning Board, Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce, NMCC and Micmac leadership.
In order for the project to move forward when state funding becomes available, Puckett said MDOT requested the city indicate if it was still interested in the grant and that funds be officially available for the local match.
“On July 1, the City Council accepted the grant, thereby indicating their support for this project. When state funding is available, we will begin work on the project,” said Puckett.
