State Sen. Dale Fowler of Harrisburg says the new off-highway vehicle trail coming to the Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area in Carrier Mills enhances the proactive tourism initiative being instilled in southern Illinois.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources received a $1.2 million dollar federal grant from the federal Recreational Trails Program, which allows the state agency to move forward with this project. IDNR will pitch in an additional $303,000 from its state parks fund to complete the trail.

This will be the first state-owned off-highway vehicle trail facility. IDNR will oversee design and development of the project. It should be ready for riders in spring 2019.

Gov. Bruce Rauner says the new trail is going to generate a lot of jobs, tourism and investment into southern Illinois.