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Board reviews Wausau-to-Merrill trail master plan; plan is conceptual with no funding obligation
Summary
Supervisors considered adoption of the conceptual Wausau-to-Merrill corridor master plan (Res. 405-25). Parks staff said the plan identifies a 15.5-mile corridor, includes cost estimates and alternative segments, and does not obligate the county to construction or funding at this time.
The Marathon County Board discussed Resolution 405-25, the adoption of the Wausau-to-Merrill trail master plan, and heard from parks staff that the plan is a conceptual corridor study with cost estimates and no immediate construction or funding obligations.
A supervisor asked whether the plan included cost estimates; the parks director replied the plan “is a conceptual plan, but it does have cost estimates in it. It's a 15 and a half mile trail. So the cost is significant,” and emphasized that adoption of the master plan does not obligate the county to construct segments or allocate funding.
The parks director said the plan identifies potential corridor segments, notes property owners who may be unsupportive and flags topographic challenges where routing could increase costs. Adoption, she said, would create a guideline to pursue property availability, partnerships and future segment work, with any land acquisition or construction returned to the board for approval.
Supervisor Gisselman asked why the plan itself was not in the full board packet; staff said it was included in the Environmental Resources Committee packet and that a link and packet materials would be circulated to the full board.
No construction funding or specific project authorizations were approved at the meeting; the board discussed the likely need for municipal partners and future fiscal impacts should construction be pursued.
