A bridge that would span Elm Creek along South Washington Avenue took another step closer to reality Monday.
Iola City Council members approved the hiring of Schwab Eaton as engineers to design a single truss, steel span pedestrian bridge.
Meanwhile, Thrive Allen County — which already obtained grant funding on the city’s behalf to pay the engineering costs — will continue to seek out other grants to pay for the $256,000 span.
Council members voted 8-0 to hire the engineering firm, which has worked with the city on past bridge projects, Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock explained.
The city does not have to fork over any money for the design — or the bridge itself, for that matter.
Thrive’s plans are to use grants from a number of resources, explained Damaris Kunkler, Thrive’s program director.
Engineering costs came from a $59,000 grant from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
Thrive also is applying for an additional $55,000 grant from the Sunflower Foundation, and another Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks grant. While both require matching funds, the grants separately could be used as the local match for the other.
That means the city is not obligating funds out of its budget, Kunkler concluded.
“What if we don’t get the grants?” asked Councilman Aaron Franklin. “What’s the worst-case scenario?”
“The worst-case scenario is the city says ‘we don’t accept the original grant funds,’” responded David Toland, Thrive’s executive director. “You walk away, no harm, no foul.”
Nevertheless, Kunkler said she was confident enough grant funding could be raised to fund the bridge.
“As long as we’re not obligating funds, I don’t see a problem with using our name,” Councilman Austin Sigg responded.
As the recipient of the bridge, the city is the official applicant for the grant funds, Kunkler noted.
IN A RELATED matter, the city approved use of Elm Creek Park South — on the south side of Elm Creek — for a trail that would connect the Southwind Rail Trail to the newly developed Lehigh Portland Trails near Elks Lake.
Last week, Thrive secured a lease with a private landowner connecting the trails. A portion of the trail would need to cross Elm Creek Park South, Kunkler said.
