Sartell City Council Votes To Extend Phase 1 of Mill District Trail Project

(KNSI) – The city of Sartell has hit a minor snag in its Mill District Trail project, though not a lasting one.

At its Monday, June 22 meeting, the city council voted to extend construction for a portion of a trail included in Phase 1 of the project. While the trail was scheduled to be fully completed by the end of June, the extension will push its completion to September so the city can add fencing and guardrails along the path.

The original grant agreement for the project, signed by the city with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to help fund Phase 1, was set to expire on Tuesday, June 30. City Administrator Anna Gruber said that the city was able to renegotiate with the DNR to extend the grant agreement to the end of the year to account for these additions.

Gruber said that two major issues prevented the trail from being completed on time. The first pertained to soil issues beneath the trail being built, where the city discovered rebar and other loose materials that complicated construction. The second involved the contractor stepping away to address a personal health issue.

Despite this setback, Gruber said that Phase 2 of the project is set to start on schedule. While she does not know whether Phase 2 will encounter similar delays, she expressed confidence that the city could address any issues that arise.

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