Counties along the Georgia coast are asking the U.S. Transportation Department to award federal stimulus funds to build part of a 161-mile bicycle trail. In June, the U.S. DOT issued guidelines specifying that bicycle and walking trails would be eligible for stimulus funds in a competitive bid process.

Coastal bike advocates jumped, getting counties and cities to pass resolutions supporting a Savannah-to-Saint-Mary's trail, the only one of its kind seeking funds in Georgia.

Savannah bike campaigner Drew Wade says he knows the competition will be stiff.

"The keys are fostering economic competitiveness, enhancements to tourism, quality of life and alternative transportation, which is another criterion," Wade says.

The trail will compete against road projects and the U.S. DOT, not state officials, will decide who gets funded. Bike advocates have until September to decide how much of the trail's estimated $100 million pricetag they'll seek for initial construction.

For more details on this story, click here to listen to Orlando Montoya from WSVH in Savannah talk with Drew Wade from the Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

Click here to visit the Coastal Georgia Greenway website.

Corrections: Drew Wade writes, "I am recalling now that I said all the counties had committed except Liberty, but since remembered that Camden County is scheduled, but has not yet passed their resolution."

Tags: stimulus, Savannah, federal stimulus, bicycle, federal stimulus dollars, federal stimulus money, trail, bike trail, Coastal Georgia Greenway, Drew Wade, Savannah Bicycle Campaign, St. Mary's