Battle Continues between Rails to Trails and Community

The Hunt County Commissioners Court met on Tuesday with a group of area residents opposed to an ongoing effort to establish a hike and bike trail through the northern part of the county. The Commissioners Court approved a resolution 15 years ago denying support for the Chapparal Rails to Trails project, which at the time also lost $1.7 million in state grant funding; but the non-profit group which originally proposed the trail has been raising funds and installing segments of the trail along the 56-mile corridor between Farmersville and Paris. The grant would have allowed for the paving of an eight-foot wide path along abandoned railroad right-of-way. The plan is opposed due to high maintenance costs and privacy and safety concerns of residents along the trail.