Lottery dollars will help with next phase of ongoing Lincoln City project



Lincoln City recently received a $400,000 grant award to work on the third phase of the city’s Head to Bay Trail, about $165,000 more than they expected to receive.

The $400,000 grant is from a Local Government Grant Program grant funded through state lottery dollars. The projected cost of the phase three section of the trail is more than $800,000.

“The Park Master Plan found there was very strong support for trails in town - both regular surface hiking trails and paved non-motorized off-street pedestrian bike paths,” Parks and Recreation Director Ron Ploger told the Lincoln City Council Monday. “The Head to Bay Trail is the backbone trail of the city’s plan.”

About 50 cities applied for the grant, and Lincoln City finished 13th in the review process.

“At the time, they funded us for $235,795, and subsequently, several projects have come and gone and finished so there were extra funds available,” Ploger said.

The proposed trail is about nine miles long starting from Cascade Head research area, down to West Devil’s Lake Boulevard and to the community center. The trail will cross around D River and pick it up south of the lake and traverse down to the bay, Ploger said.

“The trail will use public right of ways, open space, parks and partnerships with developers,” he said.

As an example, Ploger told of the Villages at Cascade Head developer, who is very supportive of the trail project and its proximity to the new development.

“On his own dollar, he installed probably 3/4 of a mile of the trail system on the north end of town,” Ploger said.

Two open space areas, one located behind the high school and owned by the city, will possibly be used to develop the trail.

Phase one of the Head to Bay Trail was completed in 2003 and is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible. It includes a section within the Spring Lake Open Space. The project cost was $115,000, and the city received a Land and Water Conservation Grant for $40,000. Phase two, completed in 2008, extended the north end of the trail section, is also ADA accessible and cost $23,000. The city received a recreation trail grant for $14,000.

Ploger says the phase three part of the project will start at the intersection of Highway 101 and West Devils Lake Road to NE 22nd and go to the community center. Three sections will have raised boardwalks in wetlands areas. Last Friday, the Corps of Engineers signed off on the project, and now the city is waiting for the Oregon Division of State Lands to finish their review process. Once the review is completed, the city will go out to bid to construct the project. Ploger said work could begin this winter, but is weather dependent.

Phase four of the project will start at the end of 19th Street and include a 200- to 300-foot-long bridge, then will connect to Port Street and on to the community center. The city has received $645,000 from the Federal Highway Administration for this section of the trail project. Ploger plans to apply for additional grant funding of $250,000 in February.



Monique Cohen is a reporter with the News-Times. Contact her at 265-8571 ext. 217 or mcohen@newportnewstimes.com.



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