Cottonwood Trail expansion complete

Tue September 22 2009
Posted Sep 22, 2009
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Humboldt, IA The Humboldt City Council accepted the completion of the Cottonwood Trail expansion project Monday. Council members approved the final payment of $5,471 to Blacktop Service Company of Humboldt for the work. Blacktop Service's total contract for its part in the project was $135,161. The contract did not include signs or the information kiosks, said Lorie Bennett, Humboldt city administrator. "We paved it. We added to it. We've added informational kiosks, put new signage up," said Bennett. Additional fishing access points to the river were also added. The extension added a quarter mile to the three-quarter- mile trail and included a parking area and trail loop around the swan pond east of U.S. Highway 169 north of the river, along with a path between the fish ponds on the other side of the highway. The 8-foot-wide trail runs along the West Fork of the Des Moines River from Beebe Park to the Reasoner Dam. No city funds were used in the project, Bennett said. The city used a $66,000 Resource Enhancement and Protection grant received in 2005 and a recent $149,000 federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Transportation Equity Act - Legacy for Users grant through the MIDAS Council of Governments for the project. In other business, council members approved the second reading of an ordinance which would increase the city's reimbursement to residents who install ramps for people with disabilities. The council is considering increasing the reimbursement from $25 to $100. The final reading is slated to be held in two weeks. Contact Robert Wolf at (515) 573-2141 or editor@messengernews.net