Trust for Public Land and Walker County to move forward on Chickamauga Battlefield Connector; contractor awarded

The Walker County Board of Commissioners approved a consent‑agenda item July 10 that will move construction of the Chickamauga Battlefield Connector forward.

Noel Durant, Tennessee state director for Trust for Public Land and a Walker County resident, told the board the organization completed procurement and supported selection of Hasbon Construction LLC as the general contractor. Durant said Hasbon’s bid was initially over budget and that the Trust and county worked with public‑works staff to find a creative solution to a box‑culvert challenge on Osborne Road and to secure philanthropic local match funds so the project can proceed.

Durant described the amended trail services agreement as clarifying financial roles and allowing Trust for Public Land to provide local match funds directly to the county so Walker County can execute the construction contract and streamline reimbursement under an Appalachian Regional Commission grant. He said a preconstruction meeting is expected within weeks and construction, once mobilized, would take roughly four to six months depending on weather.

The consent vote that included the trail amendment also approved other items (see Votes at a glance). Commissioners said they were pleased to move the long‑planned connector forward; the project has support from ARC and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Durant said.

Why this matters: the connector trail is an active transportation and tourism project linking county and battlefield assets; the amended agreement clarifies how local matching funds will be administered and accelerates the contractor’s ability to mobilize.