Jackson considering trail system extension

Jackson city officials want to add another 1.8 miles to its walking and biking trail system, but first the city has to find out just how much that might cost.

The Jackson Board of Aldermen tonight will consider approving a feasibility study, 80 percent of which will be paid for by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The study will cost a total of $9,651 and will be conducted by Crawford, Bunte and Brammeier, the same transportation company that formed Jackson's overall traffic plan.

Jackson's trail system already connects the city park to the Middle School along Independence Street and turns south on Broadridge, connecting to Orchard and East Lane Elementary.

The proposed section of trail would start at the Mary Street low-water bridge at Jackson City Park and follow Hubble Creek to the soccer park on the south side of town off Route PP.

The trail section would go underneath the new bridge to be built along with the Highway 34/72 improvements and possible under other bridges along Hubble Creek.

MoDOT's share of the project will come out of the Traffic Engineering Assistance Program, a fund set aside for the engineering work for projects that consider the safe and efficient flow of traffic and the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists.

"This study will tell us a preliminary cost estimate, give us some rough sketches of where the trail will have to go," said Jackson public works director Rodney Bollinger. "This trail will be nice because it will give us a complete circle around the west side of town."

Swimming pool ordinance

The board will also consider an ordinance Monday night which will require pool owners to drain their pools in the street or storm drains instead of across a neighbor's property.

Building and planning superintendent Janet Sanders said the city gets about six complaints a year on pool draining.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635