Unless something changes in the next three months or something unforeseen takes place, the bicycle-pedestrian corridor that would connect the Big 4 Trail in Colfax to Frankfort will not happen.
“Right now, it doesn’t appear like that’s going to be finished prior to the December 1 cutoff for the next level trails grant application time period,” said Commissioners President Josh Uitts Wednesday morning. “I don’t foresee anything happening with this trial now and then. Even after that, the proposal as it stands now, none of the Commissioners are in support of it. We’ll just see what the study says. If there’s a way to re-route it that’s not going to encroach on people’s front yards and things like that, we’ll take a look at that.”
Between 20 and 25 people crowded into the Commissioners’ meeting room at the Clinton County Courthouse Wednesday morning for a discussion about the project. Four people spoke publicly and said the majority of people in the area are against the project.
“This trail is different,” said Andy Bailey to the assembled crowd. “It cuts through our residences and it’s on their property. The maintenance of this trail is going to be different. There are also several safety issues.”
Uitts said the county was “sought out” by the state.
“I am not particularly interested in it right now,” he said. “No decisions have been made. We are doing a study only.”
Commissioners Jordan Brewer and Mark Timmons concurred with Uitts on their lack of interest in the project.
The Commissioners did vote 3-0 to approve a contract with American Structure Point for work at the Clinton County Fairgrounds — specifically the grandstands.
“We’re not just painting the grandstands,” said Uitts. “There’s an area there that is going to be paved, there’s going to be new restroom facilities constructed underneath the grandstand and a whole lot of improvements not only to the grandstands themselves but that area around that.”
The Commissioners also agreed to cancel their next scheduled meeting on Tuesday, September 21. That means the next official meeting for the Commissioners will be Tuesday, October 5.