Riverfront Development
Construction set to begin
on Carrollton’s Riverwalk
Bid has been awarded
to a Lexington, Ky.-based company
CARROLLTON, Ky. (January 2014) – After many months of anticipation, a bid has finally been accepted from a Lexington, Ky.-based company to start construction work on the Riverwalk project in downtown Carrollton. Walter Martin Excavating is expected to begin work as soon as the weather clears.
Mayor Gene McMurry said he is thrilled to see progress taking place on this project. “We had five applicants for the job. Based on the amount they requested to do the whole project, we chose Walter Martin Excavating. They have a good reputation. They’ve worked in Carrollton before.”
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| Gene McMurry |
The company has been given 180 days to complete the project. With weather permitting, “it will likely take 90 to 120 days to get the work done,” McMurry said.
This portion of the project will cost $180,000. The funding will come from two sources: $100,000 from a Kentucky Transportation Enhancement Grant and the rest from the city of Carrollton. When completed, the Riverwalk will stretch from Fifth Street to the Point Park boat ramp parking lot.
The project consists of a 10-foot wide walkway, installation of four bump outs and installation of nine lights. Every 25 feet or so a section of the concrete walk will be stamped and colored, said McMurry.
Heritage Engineering of Louisville developed the bid package and “they thought of ideas we hadn’t thought about,” McMurry said. There are still several proposed alternates to consider if funding becomes available. These elements will only enhance the current work that is about to begin.
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Dave Eberenz, Heritage Engineering Project Manager, said the construction plans are basically the same as the original design plans. The walkway will consist “of cobblestone stamped edges. But the board has not selected the color yet.”
The lights will be coach lights, and the bump out areas will contain benches, said Eberenz. “There will be two benches on the riverside and two on the land side.
Landscaping will also be involved with this part. There will be lights throughout and certain grasses will be planted to give it more of a riverside look.”
The only exception to the original design plans is that one area will have to be left out, said Eberenz. The city does not own the right of way at the Jefferson Community & Technical College parking lot and will have to leave this area alone for now.
McMurry said there are other considerations to this project and the area it encompasses. He would like to see an arboretum installed with native plants and signage. “We’re still working on the Splash Park. We’ve got a grant in for it,” he said.
McMurry would like to see the area contain a boat dock with a gas facility as well. He’d also like to have a blockhouse and shanty boat on display for tourists.
Eberenz said his firm has laid out plans for the development of the rest of the Riverwalk project should additional funding becomes available in the future to include alternate elements. The installation of more alternate options will incur additional costs. The section being constructed at this time is “the section they can afford at this time,” said Eberenz of the City of Carrollton.
This section of the Riverwalk will contain lighted signage. A sign will be placed at the entrance to Fifth Street and at the Point Park end, Eberenz said. These will be laser edged signs that will contain replaceable banners.
Of the Riverwalk project, he said it was “quite fun trying to integrate the walkway with the community.” There were several challenges to the project, but Eberenz didn’t want to design “just a plain, boring straight walk. We wanted it to have character and blend with the Master Plan for the park. It’s something the city can add to later on.”
McMurry said, “I’m excited to finally get it done. We’ve promised people for a long time and it’s finally getting done.”