Heritage rail Extension UpdateMEMORANDUM
March 11, 2002
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Update on Heritage Trail Extension Project
Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens is transmitting an update on the Heritage
Trail Extension Project. This is required because the Iowa Department of
Transportation is providing $322,760 of the needed funding, so this project will be bid
through IDOT, not the City of Dubuque. The State of Iowa Resource Enhancement and
Protection Grant is providing $200,000, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stoltz have donated
$100,000 towards completion of this project, with the remaining funds coming from the
City of Dubuque.
The Hedtage Trail Extension Project will go from 22nd Street to the Mines of Spain State
Recreation Area, with related routes connecting to the riverfront, Schmidt Island, Eagle
Point Park, and the Port of Dubuque. Three off-road portions of the Heritage Trail are
part of this project: Volunteer Drive from Lincoln Avenue to Harbor Street, Powerline
Trail from Grandview Avenue to the Julien Dubuque Drive, and 16th Street from the
Audubon Wildlife Outlook at the 16th Street Detention Basin to the Greyhound Park
Road. Two sections of the trail project include the addition of paved shoulders for
bicyclists and pedestrians: Harbor Street from the Dubuque Jaycees Trail to Volunteer
Drive, and from the Powerline Trail to the Riprow Valley Recreation Area. The
remaining portion of the Heritage Trail will be signed routes along City streets.
Due to budget and design constraints, the plans for the Heritage Trail have changed
somewhat since the City Council reviewed the plans for the original grant application in
1996.
I respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval of this project for bidding by the
Iowa Department of Transportation.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVMfjh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
March 7, 2002
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
SUBJECT: Update on Heritage Trail Extension Project
INTRODUCTION
City staff has been working with engineering consultants, Veenstra and Kimm, Inc., on
the development of plans for the Heritage Trail Extension Project, from 22nd Street to
the Mines of Spain. The purpose of this memo is to update City Council on the status of
this project, which will be bid through the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT).
DISCUSSION
The Heritage Trail Extension Project will extend from 22nd Street to the Mines of Spain
State Recreation Area, with related routes connecting to the dverfront, Schmitt Island,
Eagle Point Park, and the Port of Dubuque. Upon completion of this project, trail users
will be able to access off-road trails from Volunteer Drive at Lincoln Avenue to the
Heron Ponds Wetlands Nature Trail on Schmitt Island, and from Grandview Avenue at
the Powedine Trail to the Riprow Valley Recreation Area. A map of the Heritage Trail
Extension Project is attached.
Three off-read portions of the Hedtage Trail are part of this project: Volunteer Ddve
from Lincoln Avenue to Harbor Street, Powerline Trail from Grandview Avenue to Julien
Dubuque Drive, 16th Street from the Audubon Wildlife Outlook at the 16th Street
Detention Basin to Greyhound Park Road. Drawings depicting the off-rcad sections of
the trail are attached.
Two sections of the trail project include the addition of paved shoulders for bicyclists
and pedestrians: Harbor Street from the Dubuque Jaycees Trail to Volunteer Drive, and
Julien Dubuque Drive from the Powedine Trail to the Riprow Valley Recreation Area.
The remaining portions of the Heritage Trail will be signed routes along City streets.
Michael C. Van Milligen
Heritage Trail Extension Project
Page 2
The City of Dubuque held an open house for the Heritage Trail Extension Project from
4:30 - 6:00 p.m. at the Bunker Hill Clubhouse on February 28, 2002. Property owners
along the off-road sections of the trail received a personal invitation to attend the
meeting along with a map of the route. In addition, local radio and TV stations and the
Telegraph Herald promoted the event.
Approximately 40 people attended the open house. Comments received during the
open house were overwhelming positive regarding the Heritage Trail Extension Project,
especially for the paved off-road sections of the trail. This is similar to the response
from the public input process during the development of the Heritage Trail Master Plan
in 1995.
A few property owners along the proposed powerline trail did have questions regarding
the possibility of increased after-hours youth gatherings along the trail. Based on our
experience with the North End Neighborhood Trail, research from the Iowa Department
of Transportation (IDOT), and our consultant's experience with trails, we responded to
this concern that the addition of a paved trail often decreases youth gatherings because
the trail makes the property seem less remote. We also explained that signs would be
posted at either end of the trail stating that the trail is for use during daylight hours only.
City staff is negotiating with Alliant Energy personnel to complete an easement
agreement for the Powerline portion of the trail. I anticipate that this agreement will be
finalized in late March and presented to the Council in April.
The project is scheduled to be let through the IDOT in June of 2002, with construction
scheduled to be completed by late fall. In addition, the signs for the signed portion of
the trail will be installed before the off-road sections are completed.
BUDGET IMPACT
The City has received an lntermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA)
Transportation Enhancement grant from the IDOT for this project in the amount of
$322,760. This grant requires a City match of $138,326, which has been budgeted as
part of the America's River project. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stolz made a $100,000
donation to the America's River project for the naming opportunity for the prinicipal
route of the trail extension.
In addition, the City has received a Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP)
grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in the amount of $200,000 to
fund the construction of the Powerline portion of the Heritage Trail Extension Project.
The REAP grant does not require a City match.
Michael C. Van Milligen
Heritage Trail Extension Project
Page 3
The estimated project budget at this time is as follows:
ISTEA grant
REAP grant
City match
Total Budget
$322,760
$20O,0OO
$138,326
$661,086
Construction costs
Engineering
Contingency
Total Cost Estimate
$480,255
$116,322
$ 64,499
$661,086
ACTION STEP
There is no formal action needed by the City Council. Due to budget and design
constraints, the plans for the Heritage Trail have changed somewhat since the City
Council reviewed the plans for the original ISTEA grant in 1996. This memo and the
attached drawings provide the Council with an update of the Heritage Trail Extension
Project.
Attachments
Prepared by Lisa Sesterhenn, Assistant Planner
CC
Gil Spence, Leisure Services Manager
Mike Felderman, Civil Engineer
Isesterh/ISTEA_Grant/trail-mvm-mem.doc
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