(Wahpeton)– Plans to build a recreational trail through Wahpeton have been put on indefinite hold due to a lack of funding.
Ann Barry of the Dickinson County Trails Association says the Iowa Department of Transportation is not awarding any more trails grants for now, atleast, because of the state’s budget crunch.
The association had applied for a D-O-T grant a couple of years ago but was turned down.
Barry told the Wahpeton city council Monday the Trails Association is willing to pay a quarter of the total cost of the project, estimated at 335-thousand dollars for a half mile stretch. The high cost is attributed to concrete pavement instead of asphalt to meet environmental concerns expressed by the Director of Lakeside Laboratory. A portion of the trail would pass through that property.
Barry says if someone comes with the other 250-thousand that’s needed, work on the project could start immediately as they already have the needed easements. Until then, she says the project is on hold.
City officials agreed to meet with the head of Lakeside Lab to see if they might be willing to change their mind to go with asphalt to lower the cost of the project. It was pointed out some roads that go through the Lakeside Lab grounds were recently paved with asphalt.
