Board reviews revised Bass Reeves legacy loop scope after re‑estimate shows major cost growth

Parks Director Dr. Sarah Duuster updated the board on a federal RAISE/BUI LD grant award for the Bass Reeves legacy loop and presented a revised, lower‑risk scope after a consultant reestimate identified substantial cost growth. "We did receive notification in January 10 that the project was awarded funding just under $25,000,000," she said, and later explained that a full engineering reestimate increased the original opinion of probable cost by roughly $8.4 million and produced a revised total near $41,000,000 for the original route.

To reduce risk, staff described a smaller revised scope that creates a spine down Old Greenwood Road, reduces paved miles, eliminates railroad crossings and lowers the city’s matching obligation to about $29 million total estimated cost. Duuster said the city could apply existing parks 1¢ sales‑and‑use tax CIP funds — about $4.4 million already allocated for trails and greenways — toward the local share but that the project would still leave a funding gap staff recommended addressing with a formal procurement plan for environmental studies, acquisition, consulting and grant administration. She asked the board for consensus to begin the procurement process (6–8 weeks) but emphasized the board would not be committing to final acceptance of the grant at this stage.

Directors discussed pedestrian crossing options for Rogers Avenue (overhead alternatives were raised), federal deadline and obligation risks (staff cited an obligation date of 09/30/2030), and the potential legal and financial consequence if the city accepted funds and failed to complete the work. Staff and the city’s grants adviser said many other cities face similar timing and price‑escalation pressures and recommended proceeding with the revised scope while continuing FHWA coordination and bringing back draft grant language and procurement proposals for board review.