Question from Anonymous

Mayor, What is the latest update on the expanded walking/bike path? Thanks for taking part in this forum.

Steve Connelly answered:

The city continues to make steady progress and is receiving a lot of support and encouragement from the community and Frankfort. Progress is continuing on several fronts: 1) In June, the contractor will begin work on the recreation park expansion which will include a lighted shared-use path from Ky 595 to N Braodway; 2) also in June, the street department will pour a sidewalk from the end of Center Street to the Dresser building (this will be part of the Indian Fort trail); the budget beginning July 1 also funds the Silver Creek/ Brushy Fork bridge study which is the first step in another portion of the Indian Fort trial project; 3) the committee for the Prospect Street sidewalk extension and pedestrian bridge over Brushy Fork has hired an engineering company to design the project; it is using federal money and will proceed deliberately; 4) money for the sidewalk down Cemetery hill is in the July 1 budget; this project should be bid in June also; Mayde Road is being widened at this time and those plans will build a bike path on Mayde similar to what is now on 595; there will be a gap between 595 and Mayde until a pedestrian bridge is built over the bypass to join the two trails; we expect the second phase of the bypass to start in 2009; part of it will also include a bike path. The water line extension from the Industrial Park to the Richmond Sewer plant on White Station Road is being designed. When that connection is complete, a bike path can be run along that path to the Richmond Industrial Park.