You may be able to walk or bike safely between Linder and Meridian Roads. Here’s how
The city of Meridian is just steps away from finishing a half-mile multi-use pathway along the Union Pacific Railroad track.
It’s the latest piece in an effort by the city to connect Meridian Road to Linder Road with a walkable and bikeable path.
The path would be built between West 8th Street and Northwest 3rd Street near the track and next to the Nine Mile creek, which runs next to the railroad.
The city purchased land near the pathway in 2016, intending to trade it for another parcel owned by the Friends of Children and Families which operates a Head Start program near the intended pathway. But valuation and bond challenges forced the city to wait until now to continue to build the pathway, said Kim Warren, Meridian’s pathways project manager.
Warren said construction costs have increased in the six years since 2016. That was why she was before the City Council on Tuesday, to ask for more funding.
The project, called Local Rail with Trail Pathway, was funded in 2019 with federal funds routed through the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho, but with the increased costs, the city must ask the agency for more money.
Compass originally awarded $540,000. Meridian says it needs an additional $500,000.
“I personally feel like this is still a great project,” said Council Member Liz Strader. “It made good sense years ago when we started the process, and I think it still makes sense. I’m a little bit concerned about the cost. The magnitude of the cost is exploding.”
The City Council authorized Mayor Robert Simison to sign a letter asking Compass
for the additional funds. Compass also requires a 7.4% match in funding from the city.
With the project total increasing to just over $1 million, the city will have to contribute $76,000.
Meridian is competing for the COMPASS funding with other projects, but Caleb Hood, deputy planning director, told the council that projects that are already designed and expected to be constructed soon have a higher likelihood of getting selected.
The move to secure funding for the pathway reflects the results of a 2021 survey of Meridian residents who said their No. 1 request to improve Meridian’s recreational opportunities was to increase access to pathways and trails.
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