City approves trail along rail corridor

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December 23, 2014 - 12:00 AM

The city will spend about $101,000 for its share of a new walking and biking trail that connects Iola High School to State Street.
City Council members approved a bid from Killough Construction, Inc., Ottawa, to build the trail along the old Missouri Pacific Railroad corridor.
The trail will extend from the Prairie Spirit Trail, at about the 300 block of North State Street (near Utley’s  Auto Body) to the Colborn Park tennis courts just east of the high school.
Roughly two-thirds of the trail will be a 10-foot walking path, Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said. A smaller portion, from Jefferson Avenue to Cottonwood Street, will be a 5-foot path, complete with bicycle lanes. Signage, ramps to make it accessible to disabled users and assorted shrubs and other greenery are planned as well.
Killough’s bid of $407,180.15 was the lowest of eight received, with the bulk of the cost being funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation.
“We won’t have a signalized crossing at State Street, like the Prairie Spirit Trail does,” Schinstock explained, because the traffic volume at that part of town did not warrant one. “At this point, there will just be signage and a painted crosswalk.”
The contract calls for a 55-day project, “although I really don’t see it taking that long,” Schinstock said. “It depends on when they get started.”
Schinstock estimated Killough would get started in early spring, weather permitting.

THE CITY will pay $8.50 per ton to Nelson Quarries, Inc., for crushed rock in 2015, the same company from whom the city has purchased rock the past two years. Nelson’s bid was the lowest of four received.
Schinstock noted the cost of rock has dropped for the second consecutive year. The city paid $8.80 per ton in 2013, and $8.70 per ton this year.
Bill King, Allen County’s public works director, said the county would supply rock when the county has excess, but would be unable to deliver it.
Iola will be able to get small amounts of rock from the county when it works for both the city and county to schedule Iola’s trucks at the county’s quarry, Schinstock said.

THE CITY will purchase bulk gasoline and diesel from Le Roy Co-op in 2015. The cooperative will deliver the fuel as needed to Iola’s warehouse, where it will be distributed to all city vehicles and equipment.
Le Roy Co-op’s bid of 7.8 cents above fuel costs for gasoline and 8.5 cents above cost for diesel were the lower of two bid packages.

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