Council weighs Bell Road East path design, engineering costs and grant timeline

South Russell Village councilors on Sept. 22 continued a multi‑meeting discussion about a proposed path on Bell Road East funded in part by a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, focusing on unresolved design, right‑of‑way and engineering‑funding questions. Councilors and staff said the village has expended earlier scoping funds (about $15,000) and will need additional engineering authorization to produce drawings ODOT can review.

Officials said ODOT representatives indicated that a standard 5‑foot path is typically treated as a pedestrian path and not intended for two‑way bicycle traffic; the agency suggested paired one‑way paths (each on opposite sides of the road) to enable safe two‑way bicycle travel. Council members said the village must decide whether to pursue a single path (north or south side) or both sides, and several members emphasized the village must secure right‑of‑way clearance before engineers can finalize design.

Council members reported the TAP grant award is in the system but that the project may be pushed into 2027 or later because of federal/state calendar constraints and the amount of preparatory work remaining. Staff said additional costs not covered by construction grants will fall to the village, including independent third‑party project management required by ODOT rules and ODOT’s own administration fees. Councilors also said the TAP grant covers construction only — not ancillary engineering or design — and that the village would be responsible for maintaining the path after construction.

Several council members said a practical near‑term option is to place a short, village‑funded 5‑foot path within the park on the south side to reduce near‑term pedestrian crossings; others urged the council to wait for the engineer’s estimate before selecting a side. The council reiterated it had authorized Verdantas (engineering firm) to prepare scoping documentation and asked staff to confirm whether current scoping instructions should be revised to prefer Alderwood or Spring Drive endpoints.

Council members asked staff to return with an engineering cost estimate, a right‑of‑way assessment and updated schedule estimates so the council could decide whether to authorize additional engineering spending. Councilors noted the village will pay preliminary design and management costs out of local funds until construction dollars are released.