Contract awarded for Appleway Trail extension from Sullivan to Corbin roads

Spokane Valley is getting closer to linking its signature trail.

The Spokane Valley City Council this week awarded a $1.97 million construction contract to Wm. Winkler Co. to extend the Appleway Trail from Sullivan to Corbin roads.

The bid will cover construction of the 1.3-mile asphalt section, including landscaping, irrigation, lighting, parking and installation of a restroom located at the east end of the section.

The Appleway Trail, which is on former Railroad right-of-way, eventually extend from Balfour Park to Liberty Lake. About half of the length already has been built.

The city plans to add additional amenities such as benches, signage and interactive play areas as funding becomes available.

The path will eventually feature a theme – Spokane Valley Geologic History – that showcases history of the Missoula Floods, Spokane River, Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer and the Purcell Trench.

Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation Director Mike Stone said each themed section of the trail could have interactive features for trail visitors.

“Obviously, we have a lot more work to do and a lot more money to raise to get those features put in,” he said.

The $2.36 million Sullivan-to-Corbin section of the path will be paid with a combination of city funds and state grants.

The city was awarded $1.78 million in state grants, which includes $970,000 from the Washington State Department of Commerce and $813,000 from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. The city funded the remaining $347,000.

The city budgeted $2.13 million for the path and amenities, including a 5 percent contingency fee to cover unexpected costs that may come up during construction.

However, there’s a shortfall of about $232,502 to complete the trail.

The city could fund trail amenities through excess funds available in its Parks Capital Projects Fund or its Paths and Trails Fund.

“Between those two, we believe we could cover this shortfall if council were to go with this option,” said Finance Director Chelsie Taylor at Tuesday’s council meeting. “If for some reason our fund balances came in lower than those expected numbers, we do have some real estate excise taxes available to cover any remaining shortfall.”

Spokane Valley City Manager Mark Calhoun said the city could use the 5 percent contingency fee to add trail amenities if it’s not depleted by the end of construction.

“We can’t have a 1.3-mile section of the trail without benches or garbage receptacles,” Calhoun said. “We will find a way in the 2018 operating budget to come up with the money to make that happen.”

Welch, Comer and Associates designed the Sullivan-to-Corbin path, and construction bids initially opened in August 2017. But the city rejected those bids because they exceeded the budget.

The project was subsequently readvertised and bids were reopened last month.

Spokane Valley resident Nina Fluegal said she’s concerned the trail will be difficult for people to use in the winter if its not cleared of snow.

“Who’s supposed to clear that path so people can walk on it? Are we only supposed to use it three seasons out of the year? It should be able to be available at all times,” she said. “(Sullivan to Corbin) is a huge stretch. There’s a lot of money involved. It’s not fun if you can’t use it three or four months out of the year. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Councilman Sam Wood also questioned how the city will handle plowing the path.

“We really do need to address the clearing of the path. If we are going to invest that amount of money in it, we need to make it walkable,” Wood said.

Construction on the Sullivan-to-Corbin path will begin this spring, with completion slated for 2019.