Great news for outdoor enthusiasts in Jonesboro: the city has secured a $922,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant to fund a new trail connection to Craighead Forest Park, one of the region’s most beloved green spaces.

The grant, announced Friday by Jonesboro Right Now, represents a significant investment in the city’s parks and active-transportation infrastructure. Craighead Forest Park is a treasured community destination, and the new connection is expected to make it more accessible to residents traveling by foot or bicycle from surrounding neighborhoods.

Transportation Alternatives Program grants are federally funded awards administered through state departments of transportation, specifically designed to support walking, cycling, and other non-motorized travel projects that improve community connectivity. Winning one of these competitive grants is a meaningful achievement for any city, and Jonesboro’s success signals strong momentum behind efforts to expand safe, enjoyable ways for residents to get around.

For families, joggers, cyclists, and nature lovers, the new Craighead Forest Park connection promises to open up easier, safer routes to the park’s trails, lake, and recreational amenities. Projects like this tend to have a ripple effect — encouraging more people to spend time outdoors, supporting healthier lifestyles, and strengthening the sense of community that comes from shared public spaces.

While construction timelines were not detailed in the announcement, the securing of the grant marks a major milestone, moving the project from vision to funded reality. Jonesboro residents can look forward to a better-connected, more walkable city as plans advance.

Sources: Jonesboro Right Now