Monterey Sidewalk Project Begins In July

The city of Monterey completed the next step in connecting its city assets with walking trials and sidewalk.

Stubbs Construction of Crossville won the bid to construct sidewalks to provide safe walkways for students of Burks Elementary and Monterey High School. Monterey Grant Administrator Dawn Kupferer said construction for the estimated $163,000 project will begin by the first week of July.

“It is a big milestone,” said Kupferer. “It has taken since 2015 since Alderwoman Julie Bohannon told Mayor Wiggins ‘I walk my grand kids to school, so we need something.’ So he said, ‘Let’s do it.'”

Kupferer said in a survey conducted by the city, about 24 percent of parents would allow their children to walk to school if safe sidewalks or walking trails were in place. A Connectivity Grant through the Tennessee Department of Health will pay for 100 percent of the project.

The grant did not provide enough money to connect the sidewalks to the school property and low income housing in the area. Kupferer said they will build what they can now while working with the State Department of Health to apply for funds for a sidewalk down Crossville Street to the school property.

“We called the funding agency and told them we have the quotes and it’s a good price,” Kupferer said. “However, it would be on their next funding cycle, and we can’t wait for the next funding cycle to do the whole project because we want our kids to go back to school and have a trial system to get to school.”

Kupferer said the winning bid is under budget by about $2,000. The project consists of 490 linear feet of five feet wide sidewalk and 640 linear feet of eight foot walking/biking trail.

“Hopefully within the next 10 days, they will send to the city attorney and get them signed,” Kupferer said. “Then, they will do some initial work and survey the area.”