Ames council directs staff to bid Ada Hayden trail replacement, close trail during construction

The Ames City Council voted Tuesday to direct staff to bid the Ada Hayden Heritage Park Trail Replacement Project and to close the trail during construction. Council action follows a staff presentation on two options for replacing the park's existing 10-foot asphalt path with a wider, 12-foot concrete path.

City staff said the change is intended to address safety and durability problems with the existing asphalt surface and to reduce long‑term maintenance. Keith (Parks Department staff) told the council that “the concrete is much more durable” and that WHKS, the city's consultant, had given preliminary cost feedback. “One contractor ... said that if we bid this project right now, we would bid $1,100,000 for the project, and we could be done in 5 to 6 weeks,” Keith said.

Why it matters: Ada Hayden Heritage Park is a heavily used recreation area; staff and some council members cited user safety around heavy construction equipment and recurring damage from tree roots and willows as reasons to prefer a short, full closure rather than a longer phased approach.

Details of staff presentation: Staff outlined two procurement/construction options: a single‑stage closure (staff recommendation) and a phased closure. Under the single‑stage approach staff said crews would mill the existing asphalt and reuse the millings as a subbase before placing new concrete; WHKS has prepared about 90–95% of plans and staff expects a May 13 presentation of final plans and bid documents. The single‑stage option was presented with the $1.1 million estimate and a 5–6 week construction window. Staff said the phased option could raise costs 20–30% and increase duration by roughly 50%, with estimates that the base phased bid alone could be about $1.4 million and the full project (base plus alternates) could exceed available funds.

Funding and scope: Staff reported $1.4 million set aside for the project and that roughly $90,000 already has been spent on WHKS, leaving an approximate remaining balance of $1.31 million. Under the single‑stage estimate, staff said the full base bid plus alternates was likely to come in just under $1.3 million, leaving a modest contingency; the phased scenario would create a budget shortfall staff had not yet identified a source for.

Design and site issues: The plan increases path width from 10 to 12 feet and replaces asphalt with concrete; milling of the current surface will be used as a subbase. Staff said some drainage low spots and root intrusion from willows have caused recurring damage to the asphalt; staff described an ongoing program of mowing and targeted cut‑and‑spray willow treatment (herbicide product named Rodeo) as the most effective long‑term control to date. Staff also said contractors may need to bring some concrete material in via buggies in narrow locations where full trucks cannot be accommodated.

Community input and partners: Staff reported a public input meeting with about 25 attendees and conversations with Friends of Ada Hayden board members; two board members told staff they preferred a contractor to “get the project done and opened as quick as possible,” and staff said the Friends' leadership supported the single‑stage approach if a loop could be opened early. Councilmembers raised safety concerns about construction equipment near trail users as an additional reason to favor short, full closure.

Council action and next steps: After brief public comment (none on this item) a motion to proceed with the staff recommendation (bid the project to include closing the trail during construction) passed on a roll call vote. The city manager and staff will return final plans and specifications to the council on May 13 to authorize formal bidding; staff will continue discussions with the successful bidder about whether one loop can be opened before the entire project is complete.

Ending: The council approved the bid direction and staff will return with final documents and bid authorization in May; staff also said it will continue coordination with the Friends of Ada Hayden and contractors about scheduling and site logistics to minimize impacts on events and users.