Riverwalk extension to St. Charles to become reality
The City of Jasper announced they were awarded a $2,056,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation to be used to create a 7.1 mile multi-use trail.
The grant is a Local Public Agency (LPA) grant to be used for capital improvements which directly affect quality of life for residents and the ability of cities and towns to attract and retain businesses. This money will be used to connect the St. Charles trail to the Riverwalk.
City Engineer Chad Hurm describes the new route as, “connecting from the west side trail at its intersection with Northwood Avenue and heading east on Northwood crossing Newton Street and continuing on 30th Street to Cathy Lane. Then it will wrap around properties on the east side of Cathy Lane crossing Kellerville Road before finally ending at the Riverwalk trail head on 15th Street.”
The city is required to supply 20 percent in matching funds to acquire the grant and according to estimates based on 2014 costs, they expect the cost build the trail will be covered by the grant and funds already allocated for the project by the city.
“The public has made high use of the two existing trails in Jasper both on the west side and the Riverwalk. In 2012 we submitted plans to INDOT and the federal government for another phase of work which called for connecting these two paths and we have taken a major step to doing so with today’s announcement”, said Jasper Mayor Terry Seitz.
The proposed new trail route was presented to citizens at a public meeting earlier this year.
The planning, right-of-way acquisition and funding of a local match for the grant must still take place. Request for proposals will be available in mid-July according to Hurm. Construction of the new trail is expected to begin in the summer of 2017 with completion the next year.
LPA grants are made through gas tax revenue and distributed through the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund and Local Road and Street Fund.
Here is the story from earlier this year about the trail.
