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The city of Talent is looking to take over a joint project to create a bike and walking path between Creel Road and the Bear Creek Greenway from the Oregon Department of Transportation to keep the price down. ODOT and the city are working on an intergovernmental agreement that would transfer up to $618,000 to the city. The city and partners had applied through ODOT for grant money in 2017, with the agency to handle construction. The project was originally budgeted at $500,000, with matches of $40,000 from Talent, $10,000 from Jackson County and $2,000 from the Bear Creek Greenway Foundation. ODOT recently secured another $113,000 for the project, upping the match requirement $5,595, and suggested that Talent pay the entire amount. The foundation agreed to absorb the entire increase on top of its original donation after the two government agencies cited budgetary constraints. “It sounded like it was somewhat of an emergency. We wanted to help out,” said Mike Gardiner, foundation secretary. “The connectors are important to getting to the greenway, so whatever we can do to funnel folks, we feel it is important. We support programs such as the Talent plan.” The 1,800-foot-long path would run alongside Highway 99 from the Creel Road intersection and connect to the greenway. ODOT restriped Highway 99 last year adjacent to the path to include a bike lane. But the original grant request noted that such arrangements are not conducive to attracting riders and walkers from nearby neighborhoods who wish to access the greenway. Concerns included traffic and bikes going south in a northbound lane. “I would like to at least begin in the summer or fall, but you realize there’s a lot of factors that come into play. It’s kind of early to tell for sure right now,” said Bret Marshall, Talent public works director. “We were a little surprised by (the ODOT estimates),” said Marshall. The city decided to request the transfer of funds, as it would be liable for all cost overruns on the project as the grant applicant. With costs soaring, the city had its own engineer, Jeff Ballard, look at ODOT’s design for the project. That resulted in a cost estimate of $528,000, including a $62,000 contingency fund. Other costs include $166,000 for path work and materials, $115,000 for engineering and surveying and $59,000 for guardrails and associated hardware. A 10-foot-wide, 500-foot-long easement for slope work will need to be secured on private property for the project. The rest is in ODOT’s right of way. Transfer of funds to local governments for transportation projects is not unusual, said ODOT spokesman Gary Leaming. An upcoming West Valley View road realignment project in Talent will be covered by such an arrangement, as was the Twin Creeks project near Central Point. “In this case it’s a relatively small project. It’s already designed,” said Leaming. “The idea is to have a safe path where children with families and older adults can walk and bike over to the greenway. They don’t have to cross 55 mph traffic. It’s a nice safety feature.” Reach Ashland freelance writer Tony Boom at [email protected] .