The Trestle to Trestle Task Force assembled to find consensus about the future of riverfront redevelopment in Warren has been relatively quiet recently.

But that’s because the group is focused on a “once in a generation” funding opportunity in the regional Build Back Better initiative, according to WCCBI President/CEO Jim Decker.

“Meetings of the T2T group have been sporadic as we have been totally focused on development of our application to the PA Wilds Build Back Better Regional Challenge initiative, the PA Wilds Outdoor Recreation Industry Cluster,” Decker explained. “We have met as a group on several occasions to review the proposed Warren Riverfront Development project amenities and have incorporated the input from the group into the plan.”

The county’s portion of the application will be submitted the week of March 7 with the deadline for the regional grant being March 15. Award decisions are expected in September.

“With the completion of the BBB application, the intention is to continue to review and refine our project scope with the hopeful expectation that we are one of the regional applications awarded funding,” Decker said.

The plan is for the group to begin meeting monthly again starting next month.

“The BBB opportunity is a once in a generation chance at funding at a level that allows us to make truly transformative change in very short order to the landscape and attitude of our community,” Decker said. “This project truly engages the community to the Allegheny River, an asset which we have not taken advantage of economically since the timber rafts stopped floating downstream to market.”

The total project is in excess of $9 million and Decker said, if the application is approved, that $7.25 million would come from the BBB grant, detailing just what the proposal includes: the boat ramp, docking system, parking, realignment of Clark St .and Langdon Dr., riverwalk extension and two bicycle pump tracks.

He said the BBB initiative also “provides an ongoing joint marketing/co-branding focus.”

“Through this effort we will be co-branded with recreation opportunities across the PA Wilds region which extends as far east as Tioga County; this cohesive interconnectivity providing the potential to share the like-minded outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the region thus encouraging and facilitating increased visitor traffic for all.”

But that specific area isn’t the only proposal before the Trestle to Trestle group.

“One of the ‘desirables’ identified by (Trestle to Trestle) is adding a pedestrian walkway on the western trestle to create a walking ‘loop’ tying in the Crescent Park walking trail via the trestle and Veterans Bridge,” Decker said. “We have reached out to the railroad company trying to strike a dialogue with them about this but have received no response whatsoever.”