On Monday night, the Carroll City Council unanimously approved a $100,000 allocation to support a grant application for repairs and improvements on a segment of the Sauk Rail Trail. City Manager, Mike Pogge-Weaver, told council members the Iowa Transportation Commission has set aside $5 million to fund rehabilitation trail projects. This, he adds, is not one of their usual offerings as grants generally address new construction and this is a great opportunity.
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He outlines the proposed scope of work.
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Council member, Carolyn Siemann says she has already heard feedback on the project from residents.
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Carroll County Conservation has also stressed the importance of taking advantage of grant opportunities for rehabilitation as trail fees alone are not able to keep up with those costs. The Conservation Board has proposed two phases for the project, from Swan Lake to the Houlihan Access and from there as far as the dollars allocated will take them towards Maple River. Funding for the City of Carroll $100,000 match will come from the trail allocations already budgeted, which typically come from Local Option Sales Tax (L.O.S.T.) proceeds. If a grant award is received, it is anticipated the match will need to be paid in 2022 or 2023.