The Wall Lake City Council is exploring the feasibility of a plan to construct a bike path that would connect the community to the popular Sauk Rail Trail. The proposed route runs east out of town and connects with trail near Perkins Avenue south of Lake View. Administrator, Chris Rodman says early estimates on the project estimate it could cost up to $1 million.
He adds a million-dollar project is outside of their usual budget, so what and how many grants they receive will determine how quickly construction get underway. However, Rodman says the council is considering building the path in stages, starting the route with just gravel.
Rodman does not anticipate funding to be the major sticking point for the connecting trail. Rather, he says acquiring land along the proposed path will likely be their biggest hurdle.
According to Rodman, construction on the gravel portion of the project is anticipated to begin as soon as they conclude discussion on the properties in question. Then, it is a matter of securing grant funding from a variety of different sources. Barring any unexpected delays, Rodman expects Wall Lake will be connected to the Sauk Rail Trail within the next several years.
