Costs climb for multi-use trail

The planned extension of a multi-use trail along Howard Street and Broad Avenue, near Findlay High School, is proving to be more complicated than expected. Findlay Council has been asked to appropriate an additional $40,000 for state-mandated right-of-way plans from the city's capital improvement fund. A total of $135,000 was appropriated by council for engineering fees in fiscal year 2022. Legislation to appropriate the additional funds was introduced to council by city Engineer Jeremy Kalb at its Oct. 3 regular meeting. Kalb explained the property grade makes it difficult to design a flat pathway, which is necessary to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He said the design of the path puts it so close to the city's right-of-way that there is no way to ensure neighboring property owners a smooth transition from their driveways into the street. Building a flat path within the city's existing right-of-way would mean large slopes out of the private driveways that could cause a car to drag on the bottom. The additional money is needed to pay the consultant for temporary easement plans to allow for the construction. Kalb said an acquisition consultant will also have to be hired to negotiate on behalf of the city for the easements. Kalb said the Ohio Department of Transportation is funding the project with federal funds, so the city must follow its guidelines for the easements. The city has received a $770,186 grant through ODOT's Transportation Alternative plan for the project. The total project budget is nearly $1 million. The path will begin at the back drive of the Walmart Supercenter, 1161 W. Trenton Ave., which connects to Howard Street, and will extend to the east utilizing an old railroad bed. At Howard Street, the path will be on the north side of the roadway until it reaches Broad Avenue. At Broad Avenue, the path will extend towards the Foulke Avenue intersection on the west side of the street. Once complete, it is meant to provide a safe connection to the Greenway Trail, the University of Findlay, downtown Findlay, and to the existing bike lanes throughout the city for pedestrians and cyclists. The project is scheduled to begin construction in the spring and be completed by December 2024.