Glenwood City Council OKs Installation Of Pedestrian Bridges For Trails Project


A pedestrian bridge similar to this one on the Keystone Trail in Omaha will be placed across Keg Creek in Glenwood.

Installation of two pedestrian bridges considered to be key components for the establishment of a trail system in Glenwood has been given the green light by both the Mills County Trails Board and the Glenwood City Council.

The city council voted last Tuesday to formally award a contract to TAB Construction for installation of the two bridges – Keg Creek Crossing and Fallon’s Creek Crossing – after getting an update from engineering consultant John Jorgensen of HGM Associates.

Jorgensen spoke with Mills County Trails Board representatives after bids for the project came in higher than expected.  TAB submitted the low bid of $417,073.14, which was approximately 20 percent over HGM’s initial construction estimate. The project will include the building of abutments, bridge assembly and placement.

One of the reasons for the higher than anticipated bids, Jorgensen said, is the timeline, which calls for the bridges to be installed by May. The quick timeline, he said, is in issue for the crane operator included in the bid.  Jorgensen said once the contract is signed with TAB Construction, he’s confident a different crane sub-contractor can be found at a lower cost. 

Some other cost cuts are possible, Jorgensen said.

“I talked to them (Mills County Trails Board) and I think we can eliminate some stuff after we’ve contracted with TAB Construction,” he said.

Council member Laurie Smithers voiced concerns about making cuts to the project when the funds are already in place.

“If the money’s there, why would we try to start taking things away?” she asked. “I get nervous when we start talking about making cuts.”

Jorgensen clarified his statement, noting that nothing was being eliminated from the project but more cost-effective avenues would be pursued.

Glenwood City Administrator Amber Farnan said to date, $280,000 in grant funding has been received for the trails project, the city has committed $50,000, the Glenwood Community School District has agreed to kick in $75,000 toward the bridges and Mills County has pledged $150,000 towards engineering costs and $60,000 to the bridges specifically.  Mills County Trails is also in line for a $25,000 grant from the Peter Kiewit Foundation at the end of the project, Farnan said.

The Keg Creek Crossing bridge will link the trailhead at the site of the former Glenwood Native American Earth Lodge with the Glenwood Community School District Athletic Complex, while the second bridge will replace an existing structure that crosses Fallon’s Creek near the horseshoe pits at Glenwood Lake Park.

 

The Opinion-Tribune

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