BELLE — Belle officials on Nov. 14 were notified that the city was approved for a grant by the Federal Highway Administration to assist in completing its portion of the Rock Island Trail.

The grant is part of State Park’s Recreational Trails Program administered by Missouri Department of Natural Resources Division. It will allow Belle to proceed with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and preliminary design of the city’s section of the trail.

Belle was one of seven recipients selected from a pool of 19 applications.

The grant encourages the city to complete its environmental review and submit the NEPA determination form within six months of receiving the notice. The city is not authorized to begin the final design or construction until the review is complete.

“We will strive to be well within that six months,” said Belle Public Works Director Tony Baretich. “I will most likely contact our engineer (Terris Cates with Integrity Engineering) this afternoon.” 

Baretich said the city budgeted money for Cates to complete the environmental review.

City officials had to pass a resolution in September to pay a minimum 20 percent share for the project elements identified in the application. The city will allocate the necessary funds to complete the project and commit the financial resources needed to operate and maintain the completed Rock Island Trail project safely and attractively for at least 25 years of public access.

City officials must complete the project by Oct. 31, 2025, according to correspondence from David Kelly, director of the Missouri Division of State Parks.