TREC Board Concurs in Bid Award for Phase 4 of Trail Network

Print

Published on September 18 2015 3:00 pm
Last Updated on September 18 2015 3:00 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

The Trail Recreation Effingham County (TREC) Board Friday acted on award of a bid for Phase 4 of the trail network.

Phase 4 is a stretch of trail that will run south along, and then under, Outer Belt West from the trail entrance off Outer Belt West. The new portion of trail will then extend east to an old portion of Calico Road. Phase 4 will eliminate the need to cross Outer Belt West. 

Kieffer Brothers Construction of Mt. Carmel is the apparent low bidder on the work at $237,951, which is under the engineer's estimated cost of $260,000. The TREC Board's vote Friday was to concur with the State in the award of the bid for the work. IDOT opened bids on the project Friday morning.

The project will be 80% Federally funded, while TREC will take care of the balance. That balance is to be covered by a local business. TREC volunteer Frank Kabbes said J&J Ventures has volunteered to cover the balance of the project cost.

TREC Board President Frank Brummer said it's hoped the new project can at some point be tied directly into the pedestrian overpass over the interstate.

TREC Board member Gary Welton, a retired longtime IDOT employee, said work on the project could get underway by the end of the year.

The TREC Board also discussed plans to name the trails that make up the TREC trail network. Brummer said the plan is to look at historical topics, such as veterans, the railroads, and others. He said he'd like to hear from the public for ideas on names for the trail segments. You can email your ideas to him at brummerf@gmail.com 

There was also discussion about a project involving TREC, FISH and Bike n Hike of Effingham to collect toys for FISH and raise awareness about TREC, and appreciation was expressed to local resident Tod Lancaster for work on signage to direct trail users to parking areas.