The Rails to Trails Conservancy announced on July 19, 2017 that the Tammany Trace had won it’s annual competition for induction into the national Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. The Tammany Trace won over 60% of the votes in a public competition against two other top-notch rail trails that had been nominated by the Rails to Trails Conservancy. The Trace joins 30 previous Hall of Fame winners recognized for outstanding scenic value, use, amenities, historical significance and community value.

CCC Members Jane Cline, Janis Hazlett and Dave Hughes at Tammany Trace Induction Ceremony

This honor was officially celebrated at 1:30 pm  today in a public ceremony at the Koop Drive (Caboose) Trail Head. Cake and ice cream were served to all attendees afterward. Crescent City Cyclists was represented at the ceremony by members Janis Hazlett, Dave Hughes, Jane Cline and Bob Myers, who rode their bikes to the trailhead in order to participate in the ceremony.

During the ceremony, St. Tammany Parish President, Pat Brister announced that two long anticipated major additions to the Tammany Trace are nearing reality: the construction of a trail tunnel under LA Highway 59 similar to the one under US Highway 190 in Mandeville, and the extension of the Eastern end of the trail from the Corollo Trailhead on the outskirts of Slidell to Heritage Park near downtown Slidell.  This portion of the trail will pass through Camp Salmen Nature Park on the way to Heritage Park. She said that bids will be let and construction should begin on both of these projects sometime during 2018.

Many CCC members ride the Tammany Trace on a regular basis, and the section of the Trace between Abita Springs and Lacombe was incorporated into the route of our annual fall century ride for several years during the 1990s. The addition of the tunnel under Hwy 59 will certainly be appreciated by everyone who rides the Trace between Abita Springs and Mandeville.

For more coverage of this event see the Times-Picayunne article and the video report on WGNO-TV that were published today.