NOW THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR THE FIRST SEGMENT OF A RECREATIONAL TRAIL TO EVENTUALLY RUN FROM LE MARS TO SIOUX CITY, THERE’S STILL SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT.
THE LE MARS CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE CONTRACT BID OF $1.53 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE 1-A OF THE PLYWOOD TRAIL FROM LE MARS TO MERRILL.
PROJECT MANAGER BRETT LANGLEY OF MCCLURE ENGINEERING OF SIOUX CITY SAYS
MOST OF THE TRAIL WILL RUN PARALLEL TO HIGHWAY 75 ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY:
PLYWOOD1 OC………GOING DOWN. :18
LANGLEY SAYS THE TRAIL WILL BE BUILT ON THE IOWA D-O-T’S RIGHT-OF-WAY, ABOUT 30 FEET AWAY FROM THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY:
PLYWOOD2 OC……..LOT OF SPOTS. :12
THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY ROAD C-38 AND HIGHWAY 75, KNOWN AS AS NIPCO CORNER, HAS PROVEN AT TIMES TO BE A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION.
LANGLEY ADMITS IT MAY BE A TIGHT SQUEEZE IN TERMS OF SPACE FOR BICYCLES AT THAT INTERSECTION:
PLYWOOD3 OC……….CLEAR ZONE THERE. :21
LANGLEY SAYS THE TOTAL ESTIMATED COST OF THE WHOLE PROJECT WILL LIKELY RUN OVER 20 MILLION DOLLARS;
PLYWOOD4 OC………ANTICIPATED COSTS. :17
HE SAYS PRIVATE DONATIONS, ALONG WITH STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS WITH PROVIDE MUCH OF THE PROJECT’S FINANCING.
CONSTRUCTION IS TO BE STARTED NO LATER THAN NEXT APRIL 15TH, BUT IT COULD BE STARTED EARLIER.
GODBERSON-SMITH COMPANY OF IDA GROVE WAS AWARDED THE CONTRACT.
