Trail advocates — especially the Journal Star — love to throw out this figure: $29 million. That’s how much moolah it will take, they say, to build a trail next to the Kellar Branch rail line. Thus, it’s too expensive. Thus, we must pull up the rail line.

I wanted to find out how that figure was derived, so I called the Park District. Originally, I was told that all they had were engineering drawings; I asked how they came up with the estimated cost and was told there was “a spreadsheet floating around somewhere” but they didn’t know where it was. Later, when I relayed this story at an RTA meeting at which Bonnie Noble was in attendance, they changed their tune and told me they would get the information right out to me. Here it is:

C. J.:

I have attached the two estimates for your information. The side by side estimate is a square foot estimate based on topographical and sectional survey data and the on-track estimate is a takeoff from prepared construction plans; using cost data from previous jobs, local data and published data; taking into account labor, material, equipment, general conditions, etc. and using prerequisite standards and requirements of ADA, AASHTO (www.transportation.org), regulatory, insurance (liability) and numerous others.

Under the requirements of the ISTEA grant the PPD received, we must build a Class 1 Trail which is a bike path separated from highways by a greenway. If we deviate from a Class 1 Trail, we do not get a dime from the grant. Another consideration is the proposed trail is a combined or mixed-mode trail with both pedestrians and bicycles. The standards for a combined trail require a 10’ wide path with double 2’ shoulders for safety considerations (14’ total width). The completed portions of the trail meet these standards.

David Wheeler
Peoria Park District

And here are the two documents that were attached:

Bike Trail Side-by-Side with Rail
Pimiteoui Trail on Trackline Cost

I received these in March. I want you to take a look at them and tell me what you think. Especially if you’re a city council member, ask yourself if you would accept these estimates from your own city staff members or a hired consultant. Would you believe these numbers based on the information Mr. Wheeler provided?

Look at them and tell me who did these estimates. What materials are being used? How did they come up with the material cost and labor estimates? What is the corridor they chose for this estimate — that is, what is the exact path? Were any attempts made to mitigate the cost by choosing an alternate path, or different materials, or different methods? What is the exact location of all these trestles that are listed? Can they all be justified?

Now that the council is looking to bring all parties together to look for a win-win solution, I would suggest the first step is to do a real feasibility study. Hire an independent engineering firm, provide them with the necessary AASHTO standards and all that, and ask him to come up with the most cost-effective method of achieving a shared rail/trail corridor. Then let’s see what the real cost is. I bet it will be considerably less than $29 million.