By David Peck
A long-hoped-for walking path for the Lovell community would be a tremendous benefit to the community, engineers planning the project told a crowd at a public meeting in Lovell last week.
Willie Bridges and Nick Wilson of Pryor Mountain Engineers presented the walking path project to the public Wednesday, April 30, at an open house at the Big Horn Federal Savings Bank meeting room in Lovell.
“We believe the trail is a great thing for the community, something everyone can enjoy,” Wilson said in concluding a PowerPoint presentation explaining the project. “It will make our community more livable, improve the economy through tourism and civic improvement, preserve and restore open spaces and provide opportunities for physical activities and improving fitness and mental health.”
The project is being sponsored by the Lovell Recreation District, which is working with Big Horn County, the sponsor of the planning grant received from the Wyoming Business Council to begin the project planning process.
Bridges said the planning process will include the feasibility of the project, plans and the location of the path.
In introducing the project last Wednesday night, Bridges noted that it has been spearheaded over the years by Marilyn Haskell.
“She first talked to me about it in 1996, I believe,” Bridges said. “We’ve looked at it a couple of times. It’s finally starting to take shape as an actual project.”
Bridges noted the help of the recreation district and Gordon and Carvel Despain, who are allowing the walking path to cross through their property west of Lovell.
“We’re excited that it’s actually at this stage and moving forward,” Bridges said. “It will certainly contribute to the community. It’s a great opportunity to enhance the community and promote healthy lifestyles, as well.”
In introducing the project via PowerPoint, Wilson said the goals of the path project are to promote active living, make the trail accessible to a variety of people, integrate wildlife viewing areas, create a more connected community and maintain a natural environment.
Path route
The project is being planned in three phases, Wilson said. Phase I would build the path from the senior center parking lot south to the Globe Canal, then follow the canal southwest to Lane 12 and on west to Wyoming Highway 32. After crossing the highway, the path would continue west to Foster Gulch, then angle southwest to the west side of the Foster Gulch Golf Course, ending at Lane 13.
Phase II would take the walking path east on Lane 13 to Highway 32 on the north side of the road.
Phase III would take the path north on the west side of Highway 32 to U.S. 310 and the Lovell Community Center, coordinating with the reconstruction of Highway 32, which is planned for around 2012.
Bridges said it is hoped that the highway reconstruction project would include an underpass at the Lane 12 crossing so there would be no conflicts between automobile traffic and pedestrians.
“We’ll continue to look at all ideas to see what’s best and what’s most feasible,” Bridges said.
Path features
The proposed walking path would be eight feet wide and constructed of asphalt, two inches thick, with a six-inch crushed base. It would probably not be striped due to maintenance costs, Bridges said.
Features include trailhead signs, and along the path benches, trash receptacles and shade trees every 800 feet or so. Options to be discussed include how to cross Foster Gulch: whether to use a pedestrian bridge at a cost of some $35,000 or a culvert for around $15,000.
Motorized vehicles would not be allowed on the path, but bikes, skateboards and roller blades would be allowed, Bridges said. Around 95 percent of the path would comply with ADA requirements, he said, and there would be signage to warn of one short area with a switchback that would not meet ADA requirements.
The project timeline includes gathering information and completing field work in June, completing plans by mid-July, seeking and applying for grants in July, letting bids by late fall and beginning construction on Phase I by the spring of 2009.
Bridges said he is working with landowners now to secure easements, hoping to stay as close to property lines as possible.
He would also like to seek donations for benches, trash cans and trees at the rest areas.
Phase I is estimated to cost around $500,000, Bridges said, with around $3,640 in yearly maintenance costs for chip sealing, trash removal, snow removal and the like.
Possible funding sources include the county consensus block grant, the federal land and water conservation fund, Wyoming Dept. of Transportation TEES and TEAL grants, the U.S. Forest Service and the Wyoming Game and Fish Dept.
“I believe it can (be funded),” Bridges said. “There’s enough money in the State of Wyoming that there’s a lot of grant money available for different projects. It will take the community getting behind it so matching money can be taken care of.”
During a question-and-answer session, Bridges said having pedestrians cross Highway 32 is a big concern since the speed limit is 65 mph and the highway comes off a blind hill where it intersects with Lane 12. He said planners are looking at technology such as an advance warning system where a pedestrian could push a button to activate flashing lights.
“There are a number of things out there,” Bridges said. “It’s just a matter of what it costs. I’d like the underpass to be in Phase I, but that’s unlikely to happen with reconstruction in 2012.”
Anyone with any questions, ideas or comments on the project may write to Bridges (Pryor Mountain Engineering) at P.O. Box 671, Cowley, WY 82420, or e-mail him at willieb@tctwest.net.