Edgar Felix Bike Path, Round Two

Wall Township will seek another county grant to extend the popular Edgar Felix Bicycle Path that has run into a funding snag this year.

Kate Khori, assistant business administrator, is in the initial stages of applying for the annual Monmouth County Open Space and Recreation Grant –.

Khori was given the go-ahead to apply for the $250,000 matching grant for use to extend the bike path by the Township Committee at its May 23 meeting.

The town had received about $500,000 in state and county grants to extend the path down Hospital Road toward its ultimate goal of extending it all the way to the Howell boundary, where that town plans to extend it to the Manasquan Reservoir, officials have said.

. , which will bring the bike path up Hospital Road to the Manasquan River Bridge.

The new round of funding would use the county grant, if it is won in the competitive process, to extend the bike path further up Hospital Road to a connection with Allaire State Park bike/walking trails, Khori said.

“So it would bring us closer to the Howell (boundary) which is our intent,’’ Khori said.

Khori said there were three other potential projects that could be used in applying for the county grant, including the Ridge Avenue pit cleanup, repaving of another part of the existing bike path and a joint venture with the Board of Education that would fix up the Wall High School track.

Khori said the extension of the bike path would give the township the best shot at receiving the money, since it would expand recreation and be seen as property acquisition – two criteria the grant looks favorably upon.

“The one time I applied for this grant and it didn’t involve the acquisition of property was the only time we did not receive funding,’’ she said.

The committee members unanimously agreed that the bike path should be the project of choice. Submission for the grant is in the fall.