WEST TERRE HAUTE —
A plan to construct a walking trail on top of the West Terre Haute Levee along the border of the Wabashiki Fish and Wildlife Area is back on track after a review from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Vigo County Park officials will advertise again for a white rock trail of 1.9 miles along the West Terre Haute Levee, with bids to be open Sept. 24. Bids are to be good for 90 days, as the county must still obtain required construction permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the DNR for work to start.
Vigo County Park officials last month rejected opening previous bids after speaking to the National Center for Accessibility at Indiana University, which stated that because the top of the levee is just 10 feet wide, with sloped edges, a barrier or rail of a minimum of 4 inches tall must be put along the trail on both sides so a person in a wheelchair could not accidentally drive off the trail.
However, that is not a requirement, according to DNR officials.
Keith Ruble, superintendent of the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department, was informed via email from JD Keith II, state and community outdoor recreation planner for the DNR, to remove the rail/barrier bid specifications.
Keith, in the email to Vigo park officials, stated that his “assessment and judgment concerning edge protection along this trail is not required. AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) recommendations also would not enhance the trail user in this case. We recommend retracting edge protection detail from the design/bid documents for this project.”
Ruble said AASHTO are standards used for INDOT projects, however, the trail project is a DNR funded project. Ruble also had the requirements reviewed by the Vigo County attorney, who concurred the project could again be let out for bid.
“Vincennes has a levee with a trail on it and it has nothing, no barriers, on the side,” Ruble said.
The trail will extend from Dewey Point in West Terre Haute and go south, west and then northwest in the shape of a big horseshoe, surrounding the south end of West Terre Haute. A trail is proposed to extend north and back to the east to connect to Dewey Point and form a circle around the wetland area.
“That is in the future as we have to get the OK from landowners,” Ruble added.
Ruble said the levee trail could be open to the public in late fall or early winter.
Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached at 812-231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
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West Terre Haute levee trail moving forward again
DNR review clears way for new bids on 1.9-mile project
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