Clinton considers paying $250,000 for bicycle trails

Kiya Edwards
Mon July 06 2015
Posted Jul 6, 2015
4,640

Clinton city leaders are considering adding a bicycle path along a major thoroughfare, but with delinquent sewer bills and rough roads throughout town, many are questioning how the city could afford it. The trail would go along both sides of Mill Creek Parkway. Council recently voted to apply for a grant that would cover one million dollars of the cost, but the city would still need to pay $250,000. Some say the project is worth it, while others feel the money could be better spent.

Council member John Rowland says there are currently more than 35 miles worth of trails connecting the city to neighboring Camanche.

“People certainly enjoy them and they’re being used,” he said.

Some people would like to see even more.

“I’m always in favor of bike paths,” resident Ryan Weaver said.

Rowland says adding paths along one of the busiest roads around would help tie all of the bicyclepaths together. That is, eventually.

“At this point in time, it’s not going to connect at either end,” council member Lynn McGraw said.

She says the trails can wait, considering garbage fees just increased by around $4 per month.

“There was a vote on raising the solid waste, which, okay, I was the only one that voted no, and then the next item is spending $250,000 for a bicycle path,” McGraw said.

That price tag is raising a red flag for some residents as well.

“I think we need to take care of what’s already in place before we start adding something new,” resident Shala Skimhorn said, in reference to fixing the apparent pothole problem.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea, I would just think that the roads need better work,” her daughter, Chelsey Skimhorn added.

Meanwhile, Rowland says the trails would fit right in with the effort to develop the city’s west end,providing easier access to the many new housing sites.

“An expansion of these trails and walking paths throughout the city certainly is a plus for a quality of life issue for, you know, things that we have to offer in our community,” he said.

To cover the cost, he says the city could use money from its general fund or use small excess funds from other accounts.

“Let’s just wait, put that $250,000 towards the solid waste, and have the plans ready in place for another time when there will be a grant,” McGraw said.

“If they could do halfof the bypass, or have a bike path on one side of the road instead of both sides, I think it would be beneficial,” Weaver added.

The first step, though, is to get the grant. Clinton is also expected to receive its money from the gas tax increase sometime this summer. Rowland says council would likely consider using some of it toward the bicycle trails.