By Cheryl Splain, KnoxPages.com Reporter
MOUNT VERNON — City Council approved a grant application on Monday night that brings the long-term vision for Ariel-Foundation Park one step closer to completion.
The $1,005,000 Transportation Alternatives Grant will be used to connect the Heart of Ohio Trail to the Kokosing Gap Trail under the southernmost arch of the South Main Street bridge. Councilman Sam Barone, chairman of the city’s Finance and Budget Committee, said the connector trail “will certainly make the crossing of South Main Street a lot less perilous and also give people a nice vista of the city.”
City Engineer Brian Ball said that the TAP grant is a partnership with the Ohio Department of Transportation through which ODOT will pay 95 percent of the $635,000 construction cost as well as reimburse the city 95 percent of the cost of labor incurred by the city’s engineering staff. The city will be responsible for 5 percent of construction cost, design costs, environmental studies and permits and purchasing a right-of-way.
The right-of-way is owned by Gary Gray. Mayor Richard Mavis said the city is getting an appraisal of the property. Ball said he estimated high on the property purchase as well as all outside services; however, he anticipates the city will be able to perform some of the services, thus reducing the city’s cost. When Councilwoman Nancy Vail questioned City Auditor Terry Scott as to the city’s ability to handle its portion of project costs, he responded, “We’ll deal with it in 2017,” noting that part of the cost will come from the engineering budget. Barone pointed out that, like other parts of the park project, some money could come from private funds.
Ball said if given the green light, the project could be under construction in ODOT’s 2017 fiscal year, between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018. The trail will be on the north side of the CA&C depot, providing access to a parking lot as well as the bike path. The current grade crossing across South Main Street will be maintained for access when high water makes the connector trail unfeasible.
Crossing diagram courtesy City of Mount Vernon
