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City staff to pursue larger ALDOT sidewalk grant for Wilson Lane, increasing city match
Summary
Staff said an ALDOT reviewer recommended increasing Owens Cross Roads’ Wilson Lane grant request (originally $105,000) by $50,000–$75,000 to improve approval chances; council was asked to draft a resolution and confirm right-of-way and match funds.
City staff updated the council on a proposed sidewalk project on Wilson Lane and relayed guidance from an ALDOT reviewer who recommended increasing the city’s grant request to improve the probability of state funding.
Staff reported ALDOT reviewer Travis Kilgore told them the city’s current cost estimate appears low and suggested adding $50,000–$75,000 to the $105,000 request. That increase would raise the city’s matching contribution (previously estimated near $20,000) to roughly $40,000, staff said. The proposed scope would remove the existing walkway, rebuild a new 5-foot-wide sidewalk, add drainage piping where ditches currently exist and consider handrails and accessibility improvements.
The contract city engineer, Jake Roth, and staff discussed trade-offs between patching the current sidewalk and seeking ALDOT funding for a complete rebuild. Staff said ALDOT is more likely to accept a larger, better-scoped application and asked the council to approve a resolution authorizing the increased request if engineers confirm the project site and easements. The staff member asked council members to provide the precise stretch of Wilson Lane for the engineer to verify property records and easements.
No formal resolution was presented or voted on at the meeting; staff said they will prepare documentation and work with the city engineer to verify right-of-way and required city match before bringing a resolution back to council.
