Marshall approves design proposal for pedestrian updates

Grant program will cover cost of crossing, trail project

MARSHALL -- The city of Marshall will be working on a few different pedestrian crossing and trail improvements, with the help of a state grant. This week, members of the Marshall City Council heard a summary of the crossing and trail updates, and approved a proposal to develop plans for them.

Marshall Public Works Director Jason Anderson said an infrastructure grant from the Minnesota Department of Transportation would make the trail and crossing improvements possible.

"We've been awarded a $360,381 Active Transportation Program grant. This is to do numerous pedestrian improvements around our community,"Anderson said.

The grant would cover trail and pedestrian crossing improvements at several places around Marshall. The list included an enhanced pedestrian crossing with a flashing beacon at the intersection of Main Street and A Street, as well as an enhanced crossing and a realignment of the Camden Trail at Lyon County Road 7. Anderson said the grant also covered a trail extension between Boyer Drive and Windstar Street - which would be near the Aldi store in Marshall.

"To help us get that project completed, we're proposing to enter an agreement with Bolton & Menk to complete the design work,"Anderson said. The engineering firm was proposing to develop construction plans for an amount not to exceed $48,000.

Anderson said all the costs for the trail and crossing updates would come from either the grant funds, or through municipal state aid street (MSAS) funds. However, the city would need to request a funding advance in 2024 to make sure they had MSAS funds for the project.

"So there are no local costs on this project beyond our state aid allocation, and we will work to advance those funds this winter," Anderson said.

Council members voted unanimously to award the design proposal from Bolton & Menk, at a cost not to exceed $48,000.