The city has continued its quest to provide hiking and biking trails throughout town — this time along Camp Street.
After applying for a grant in 2007 through the Illinois Department of Transportation, the city council announced during its Aug. 17 meeting that it was awarded a $147,000 grant to help fund engineering work for the trail.
In the agreement, the city will share 20 percent of the cost with IDOT, meaning its portion of the project will not exceed $37,500, which will come from this year’s gaming budget.
The trail will run from River Road at West Washington Street along Camp Street and continue to Main Street.
“It will create a 3-mile recreational loop and provide a pedestrian corridor along Camp (Street), which lacks sidewalks,” said Ty Livingston, director of planning and community development, after the meeting.
Once plans are made, the city will be able to apply for funding for the construction, Livingston added. He estimated 2012 as the earliest the work would begin.
“It’s a long time coming,” said Mayor Dave Mingus during the meeting.
Livingston added the trail will be adjacent to the Downtown 2010 development area where residential development is planned.
“It provides a jumping-off point for future trail extensions to the north,” he said. “Currently, there’s the riverfront trail that ends at EastPort Marina. Since that trail was built there’s been a goal to continue it down the Riverfront in some form or fashion.”
One possible connecting point to this project would be at Altorfer Lane and Camp Street, he added.
In other action and discussion, the board:
• approved a special use permit for 2007 Meadow Ave. Stirling Underwood, of Underwood Motorsports will operate a motorcycle repair shop and some outdoor storage at the location.
However, Underwood must meet some conditions, such as paving and striping the parking lot, installing landscaping and properly screening the storage area.
• approved a special use permit for First Student Inc. to allow a school bus terminal with outdoor storage of buses at 2901 N. Main St.
Last year, the business used the Festival building to house the buses. First Student Inc. is required to pave the parking lot and install landscaping.
• held a working session prior to its regular meeting regarding the placement of an AT&T cell phone tower at the public safety building, located at 201 W. Washington St.
The previous 125-foot tower needs replaced after being struck by lightning, according to city officials. The new tower would be between 150 and 190 feet and would be located 90 feet further from the current tower. It would provide better service to area cell phone users.
Chuck Melton, president of the firefighters union, addressed the council about potential concerns, such as signal interference with emergency calls and health risks related to radio frequencies.
“Why take that risk and put it on our property when we don’t have to?” he asked
The city said it has done research and cited the American Cancer Society, the Cancer Institute, Federal
Communication Commission and more as sources that say the tower would not pose health concerns.
No action was taken on the issue.
