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Rhinebeck board discusses larger scope and higher cost to complete Alta Planning trail feasibility study
Summary
Board members said rising project scope and new New York State DOT guidance (wider pathways) have increased the cost to complete a three-phase trail feasibility study; the total cost to finish the remaining phase would be about $54,000, an increase of roughly $35,000 from funds remaining in the original budget.
Town board members discussed the status of a trail feasibility study contract with Alta Planning and Design Inc. that paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and now requires additional funding to finish.
A board member summarized the situation: phases 1 and 2 were completed before the pause, but phase 3 remains. The transcript records that roughly $18,890 remained from the original contract, and staff recommended increasing the budget by about $35,000 to bring the total remaining cost to nearly $54,000. The increase was attributed to inflation and to changes in New York State Department of Transportation guidance; DOT feedback now favors wider paths (10 feet instead of 8 feet), which expands the project footprint and may require additional right-of-way takings or design work.
A board member said the additional expense also reflects better knowledge of demand (including users from Locust Hills) and new public input gathered since the earlier phases. No final contract vote is recorded in the transcript excerpted for this meeting; the board discussed the funding increase and the reasons for it.
Next steps: Board members suggested continuing to refine the design with public input and DOT guidance; staff noted the project will be more complex and costlier to complete than earlier estimates.
