The mile-long extension of the Prairie Spirit Trail, from the trailhead at Cofachique Park on North State Street to the northeast corner of Riverside Park, is expected to open by early summer 2012.
“There should be some work done on the trail by the first of December,” unless weather turns particularly foul the next week or two, said Corey Schinstock, assistant city administrator.
Mission Construction, St. Paul, one of four bidders, won the contract for the trail work at $374,726. Of that, the city of Iola will be responsible for 20 percent — about $75,000 — while the Kansas Department of Transportation will pick up the remainder. Iola will pay its share from sales tax money earmarked for infrastructure improvements.
An adjunct of the construction will be installation of an easily visible stop light where the trail crosses on North State Street. The traffic control light will be triggered by walkers and bikers.
“It will have two red lights side-by-side above a yellow light,” Schinstock noted. When activated, the “yellow light will flash for several seconds and then turn solid yellow” to alert oncoming motorists that the red lights are about to come on to stop traffic.
“KDOT did studies there and on (U.S.) 54,” Schinstock said. “While there was enough traffic on State to require a light, there wasn’t on 54.”
Along the asphalt trail, 10 feet wide and 4 inches thick, Iola’s electrical crew will install lights, the same as those along the existing portion of the trail in Iola. Cost is projected at $19,000 for materials, which will be paid in that same 80-20 formula, but labor will be on the city’s dime, Schinstock said.
Initial work by Mission Construction will be concrete crossings and handicap ramps, which can be poured in colder weather than is acceptable for laying asphalt.
“The temperature has to be about 40 degrees and rising to put down asphalt,” Schinstock said, which is unlikely to occur with enough duration for surfacing the trail during winter months.
An aside to the trail’s extension will be removal of the old railroad crossing on Bruner Street just northeast of Riverside Park and where the trail will end in the upcoming project. That will make the park and its facilities accessible to trail users.
Eventually, city officials hope to extend the trail to the southeast corner of the park and mark a grass path along the top of the levee that circles the park.
THE TRAIL is closed between Miller and Oregon roads at the north edge of Iola because of an arson fire that heavily damaged a bridge at the west edge of the Cedarbrook Addition about three months ago.
“I talked with Trent McCown (trail manager) recently and he said funding hasn’t been made available by (Kansas) Wildlife and Parks to repair the bridge and may not be until spring,” Schinstock said.
