City Council members discussed the project during a June 6 special meeting regarding the capital improvement program, or CIP, budget. The shared-use pedestrian and bike path was ultimately postponed to save money in this year’s upcoming budget.
Community Impact previously reported the project would include an 8- to 10-foot-wide shared-use path as well as a 14-foot-wide pedestrian and bike bridge.
Conroe Engineer Chris Bogert said the all-in cost of the project was $6.1 million. He said the money was earmarked for this year, but has not been approved yet.
The city applied for a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to fund 80% of the project. Bogert said if the grant is awarded the city would only need to fund 20% of the project, approximately $1.4 million.
Council Member Marsha Porter asked to push the project out until the money from the grant was awarded.
“If we are going to request a grant, we need to have the 20% portion in our 10-year CIP,” said Collin Boothe, the city of Conroe’s financial director, during the meeting. “We don’t want to ask for the grant and not plan for that portion.”
Boothe said if it is a project the city wants to pursue even if a grant is not awarded, then the budget needs to be able to accommodate 100% of the cost.
Mayor Pro Tem Curt Maddux, and council members Howard Wood and Harry Hardman said they would not want to pursue the project if a grant is not awarded.
