Permit delays push Fall Creek Greenway Trail bid toward winter; state park granted limited right-of-way use

Parks staff updated the Board of Parks and Recreation on the Fall Creek Greenway Trail, saying permitting and environmental mitigation have extended the project schedule and could push the formal bid process into February or March of the next calendar year. Staff reported that the state parks agency recently authorized the project team to use some of the park agency’s right-of-way or property along Lee Road to allow the trail alignment necessary to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The permission is intended to avoid design compromises and facilitate an ADA-compliant alignment. Board members noted the project required typical permitting steps, including tree mitigation and bat habitat considerations, and staff described the permitting process as more time-consuming than initial estimates. The grant-writing process was completed; staff said advancing from a funded design to permits and mitigation has been the primary schedule driver. Staff said they still expect progress on design and that the authorization from state parks removes a key alignment obstacle, even if the bidding timetable slips into late winter or early spring.