Jackson officials discuss ongoing plans with trail, park bridge

Officials discussed ongoing trail and park-bridge projects in Jackson during the Board of Alderman meeting Monday night.

The Hubble Creek Recreation Trail's original phase saw a one-mile stretch of walking trail built between Jackson Civic Center and the city park.

Dominic Thompson of Smith & Company Engineers in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, said he has defined the corridor of the next phase of the project, which will be longer -- about 7,200 feet -- and will include a utility corridor.

The trail would extend along the east side of Hubble Creek from an existing overpass on Highway 72/East Jackson Boulevard southwest to the soccer park.

The trail would require easements, Thompson said. A 35-foot permanent easement and 15-foot temporary easement on each side would cover trail and utility access, he said.

Ten parcels would need to provide easements, one of which belongs to the city, Thompson said.

City administrator Jim Roach said Thompson was asked first to define the corridor, which he has completed.

"The next step, easements. Then design," Roach said.

There is a possibility of grant funding, Roach said. The trail between the Civic Center and the park was funded by a matching grant, Roach said.

A new pedestrian bridge over Hubble Creek in Jackson City Park still is in the works, parks director Shane Anderson said.

A grant application from the state was not successful, city officials learned in July. Instead, the project will be 100 percent city-funded, Anderson said.

The bridge would be built at the existing bridge, which has wooden decking and has been in place for about 35 years.

Anderson said the new bridge would use concrete decking and a metal frame. It would keep existing approaches.

Anderson said the new bridge also should have an electric component to help streamline holiday decorating.

Roach said while the proposed timeline is to bid the project in November, award the contract in December and begin construction in January, "the weather will drive a lot of this."

Anderson said the cost of the new bridge is not determined but likely will be in the $113,000 range.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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