Geneva path, downtown master plan on hold for money

A bicycle-and-foot path that would connect west-central Geneva to Wheeler Park is being delayed, because it is expected to cost more than originally estimated.

The Geneva North-Central Rail was to have been built on 3,900 feet of former Chicago & North Western Ry. right of way from 7th and State streets to the northwest corner of Wheeler Park. Earlier this year, the city council hired an engineer for the first phase of the project, and began seeking a permit from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

It was originally estimated to cost $250,000, with $199,000 being paid for by a federal grant. There's no guarantee the grant will be available when the city is ready to do the trail.

But based on the cost of building another trail this year, at the city's Prairie Green Preserve, the consulting engineer now thinks it will cost $431,000 to build the North-Central Trail.

Given decreasing income due to the slumping economy, the city administrator and development director have decided it is something the city just can't afford at this time, and have postponed the engineering work indefinitely.

"Costs are going up on everything," said Dick Untch, the city's community development director. Besides rising materials costs, increased engineering for stormwater drainage has raised the price, he said.

It was to be paid for out of the city's capital improvements fund, heavily supported by sales tax. But the city has received less income from sales tax than it did compared to 2007, even with the implementation of a quarter-cent sales tax increase this year.

In September alone, the last month figures are available, receipts were down 9 percent over last year. "That's one area of our budget that's really getting hit," Untch said.

One of the city's goals in its 10-year plan, adopted in 2007, was to expand pedestrian and bicycle accessibility between parks, open spaces, neighborhoods, major business districts and other major destinations. The North-Central Trail is an objective listed under that goal.

The trail is not the only thing on hold because of money. The city had intended to hire somebody to do a downtown master plan this fiscal year, which ends in April. It had budgeted $55,000 for that.

The city has a 15-member volunteer panel organized and Untch had a consultant contract ready to present to the city council.

"Different fund, same problem," Untch said.