The City of Bloomington is planning to build a new $1.5 million section of Constitution Trail.
Public Works Director Kevin Kothe described the project, “This is a Constitution Trail extension from Lafayette south to Hamilton Rd. It goes along part of the former railroad right of way then along the west side of Bunn St. all the way to Hamilton.”
The city held a public meeting Tuesday evening where they showed Phase One engineering plans with the layout. Public Works engineers as well as consulting engineers were available to answer questions from the public.
The city plans to submit an application for a federal grant in September. If funds are received they will cover 80% of the cost. Bloomington would need to match the funding to cover 20% of the cost.
Given the project is estimated to cost $1.5 million, the city’s portion of that would be $300,000. Bloomington would pay their share with local tax revenue.
Cities asked Kothe how the city can justify that given the amount of paving and sewer work that the city needs to do and he responded, “They serve different needs for different purposes. This multi-use path serves people that might not be able to drive. This connects trail systems that are used for recreational but are also used for people to get to work and their job.”
“When you think about this area of Bloomington you got low income folks that live in this area that could benefit from having a connected trail system, Kothe added.”
North of Lafayette St., between there and Lincoln St. a gap in the trail will exist for at least some amount of time. Bloomington plans to construct that section of trail beside the recycling center at a later date.
At Hamilton Rd. the trail will connect with a trail that runs west along Hamilton. Another section of trail now under design as part of the Hamilton Rd. project will run east from Bunn St. to a direct connection to Hamilton Rd. at Commerce Pkwy.
The portion of Constitution Trail along the old railroad right of way has been planned for 25 to 30 years. Right of way for the trail next to the old railroad right of way was purchased by the city over 25 years ago.
