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Cusseta–Chattahoochee County awarded $600,000 SEID grant to start Fort Benning trail; county to select engineer
Summary
The county announced a $600,000 SEID grant to build the initial segment of a trail from Fort Benning. County Manager Thomas Weaver said the county must confirm interest by the 4th and plans to select an engineer; a sidewalk project from the library to the recreation center is also under consideration.
The Commission of the Unified Government of Cusseta–Chattahoochee County announced Dec. 2 that the county has been awarded a $600,000 SEID grant to fund the beginning of a trail coming from Fort Benning.
County Manager Thomas Weaver told commissioners the grant notice arrived the morning of the meeting and said the county must formally confirm interest before Jan. 4 for the award to proceed. “This is a $600,000 grant for the beginning of the trail coming from Fort Benning,” Weaver said, adding that the grant process can be slow but that the award is “a huge deal.”
Weaver said the next step will be selecting an engineer to develop project plans. At the Dec. 22 work session he presented comparative scores from a qualifications review: EMC Engineering and Moon Meeks & Associates each scored 45 points in the staff evaluation, while Ingram & Associates scored 17; Weaver recommended EMC Engineering. The county said it will follow its procurement and scoring procedures and place a formal engineer selection on an upcoming agenda for a vote.
Weaver also told commissioners that an earlier idea to route the trail from West Railroad to the recreation center is not feasible, and that the county will instead pursue a sidewalk connection from the library to the rec center that could be integrated with the trail work. He said staff will present more detailed engineering and timing estimates once a consultant is selected.
Officials did not set a construction schedule during the public meeting. Weaver cautioned that grant-funded infrastructure projects typically require additional design, permitting, right-of-way work and interagency coordination, and he said he expected the project to move “slowly” during initial planning. No formal contract has been executed as of the Dec. 22 work session.
What’s next: The county must confirm interest with the grant administrator and is preparing a formal engineer selection and scope for Commission approval. The county did not provide a start date for construction.
