City chooses Vondren alignment for Cap City Trail extension toward Glacial Drumlin

Aaron Canton, project manager for the Capital City Trail Glacial Drumlin extension, told the Transportation Commission that after early coordination with the railroad and DOT the city is proceeding with a Vondren Road alignment along the south side of the WSOR corridor rather than creating a new at‑grade railroad crossing.

Aaron described alternative B (the preferred route): a roughly 10‑foot asphalt shared path that would use excess railroad right‑of‑way, include a bridge across a drainage channel, provide lighting, and tie under an existing railroad underpass at the interstate. He said the project must meet standards to allow sanitary‑access vehicles to use the path where needed and that the city is coordinating with the county’s adjacent phases to extend the trail east to Buckeye and beyond to Cottage Grove. “We are on track for construction in 2027,” Aaron said, noting the project was awarded federal TAP funding but that the Vondren alignment introduces a budget gap compared with the earlier Wagon Trail alternative.

Commissioners asked about the Vondren crossing and whether it could be widened later into a shared‑use path to improve connections to existing sidewalks; Aaron said altering an active railroad crossing could trigger additional regulatory review (OCR) and added costs for new gates and signals, which could affect the federal funding timeline.

Staff said they continue to coordinate with the county on bridging and boardwalk elements and are evaluating options to construct city and county segments together for cost efficiencies.