HOPKINSVILLE, KY – The Hopkinsville Committee of the Whole discussed applying for a grant to help fund the next phase of development of the Hopkinsville Greenway Rail Trail, which would bring the project’s original vision to completion by expanding to Tiebreaker Park.
The entire project would cost slightly more than $6.9 million, with the city required to contribute 20% of that total in match funds totaling approximately $1.3 million.
This would fund the construction of a bridge over the bypass, connecting the existing trail to its final destination at Tie Breaker Park.
“I understand it’s a big match,” City CFO Melissa Clayton stated at the meeting. “Obviously, we don’t have that much money sitting around to pay for the match right now. If we were to receive this grant, we would need to make some arrangements at that time.”
Grant detail, adjusting past plans
During the April 17 meeting, Clayton stated that the Transportational Alternatives Program, which will provide the grant money, is the same program that was used for the first two phases of rail trail development.
Previous plans proposed that the trail connect under the bypass rather than over it. Concerns about safety and flooding prompted them to consider building a bridge instead.
Mayor Knight spoke up during the meeting, stating that expanding under the bypass would have been much cheaper, but the bridge is the safest option for the community.
“This is really expensive if you ask me, for what we are getting,” council member Chuck Crabtree stated. “But this is a lot better plan for a bridge than what was originally planned, which would have gotten a lot of people killed.”
Public Works Director Mike Perry informed the committee that bridge maintenance would be relatively inexpensive in the long run. The majority of the costs would come from bridge inspections.
The committee passed a motion to forward the grant application to the Hopkinsville City Council.
