Lafayette Board of Works approves bid notices for new trail and zoo projects

Noe Padilla, Lafayette Journal & Courier
·2 min read
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LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The construction of a new trail project in Lafayette could soon be in the works.

Lafayette’s Board of Public Works and Safety approved two of the city’s requests to send out bidding notices regarding the construction project of a new trail project in Lafayette and commissary building at the Columbian Park Zoo.

Sagamore Parkway Trail project

The proposed Sagamore Parkway Trail project will see the construction of a multi-use trail along the south side of Eastbound Sagamore Parkway from the Wabash River Bridge, a crossway to Duncan Road, which will connect to the already existing trail on North 9th Street in Lafayette.

Wabash River Enhancement Corp. will also be working on a separate project that will see the construction of a ramp from this new proposed trail to the Wabash Heritage Trail

Wabash Heritage Trail sign in McAllister Park, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019 in Lafayette.
Wabash Heritage Trail sign in McAllister Park, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019 in Lafayette.

The construction of the trail will require the installation of a modular block retaining wall, construction of a reinforced concrete barrier railing and moment slab, incidental roadway paving and curb construction, installation of stormwater conveyance structures, pedestrian signal improvements, earthwork grading and landscaping.

The city will begin advertising this new project from Sept. 15 through Sept. 22 and will open bids on October 10, 2023.

The construction of this new project will be primarily funded by the state’s Next Level Trails program. The state invested $180 million to support the development of regionally and locally significant trails throughout Indiana.

Columbian Park Zoo’s proposed commissary building project

The Lafayette Parks and Recreation Department’s proposed project at the Columbian Park Zoo would see the construction of a new 3,380-square-foot commissary building to be located on the south side of the existing IU Health Arnett Family Farm exhibit.

The building will feature a commercial kitchen and food preparation area, dry food storage, animal holding space with controlled air, a loft for additional storage, a new walk-in freezer and an outdoor storage area for gravel and mulch storage.

A look at the penguin exhibit at the Columbian Park Zoo, Saturday, April 17, 2021 in Lafayette.
A look at the penguin exhibit at the Columbian Park Zoo, Saturday, April 17, 2021 in Lafayette.

The parks department noted that the existing food preparation area was initially added to the Animal Housing building in the early 1980s and that this new addition would be a welcomed renovation.

Advertisements for this project will be published from Sept. 8 to Sept. 15, and bids will be opened for this project on Sept. 26.

Noe Padilla is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email him at Npadilla@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter at 1NoePadilla.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette Board of Works approves bid notice for new trail project