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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – The Alabaster City Council approved a feasibility study for a trail connecting Buck Creek Park to Patriots Park during a regularly scheduled city council meeting on Monday, Aug. 28.

During the meeting, the Council approved a resolution authorizing a new trails and sidewalks study under the APPLE program to determine the feasibility of a trail connecting Buck Creek Park to Patriots Park. The total cost of the study is $59,996.98 which includes a local match by the city of $11,995.23.

“This is really exciting as we continue to expand the trail system throughout our city,” Councilmember Jamie Cole said. “Some of that is going to be in my ward, so I’m really excited about that.”

According to City Administrator Brian Binzer, the city did a trail master plan two years ago to look at different ways of connecting the Buck Creek Trail to different parts of the city with one going south to Veterans Park, one going west to the high school and one going north to Patriots Park.

The Buck Creek Trail is currently planned to break ground in 2024 and will be officially paved alongside the path that will travel to the high school.

“A future phase that we want to do is to branch off to the north and, ultimately, connect to Patriots Park,” Binzer said. “To do that, we need to a feasibility study and that’s what’s on the agenda tonight is just to determine—going from point A to point B—what’s the best way to go about doing that.”

The feasibility study will allow the city to ascertain if the trail will be possible as well as what would be the best path and method.

“That’s the whole point of doing a feasibility study because you have to look at cost benefit,” Binzer said. “’Does it make sense? Are you physically able to put a trail through a certain area? Do you have private property owners that are in the way that would be an impediment?’ Those kinds of things. So, you’re trying to get the best path, the most feasible financially, physically and all those different factors weigh into that.”

Binzer shared that, after the feasibility study is complete, the next step will be to draw up full designs for the trail as well as apply to the Alabama Department of Transportation for a grant.