The city of Trenton has proposed for the April 4th election, a three-eights of a percent sales tax to generate the local revenue needed to complete the financing project of a new bridge – estimated to cost $3,100,000.
The 87-year-old bridge on 17th Street in Trenton is in dire need of replacement and City Administrator Ron Urton Junior spoke with KTTN about the bridge.
Urton explained to KTTN’s John Anthony what happens when a hole in the deck or a need for repairs becomes necessary.
When problems are noticed, the city often has to close off the 17th Street bridge to allow repairs to be made and make it safer for the motoring public.
The transportation sales tax to be on the April 4 ballot in the city of Trenton would be in effect for ten years.
If passed by a simple majority, the three-eighths of a percent sales tax would generate local money for the city’s share of the proposed replacement of the 17th street bridge among other eligible new construction projects that are possible in the future.
The local tax funds would be leveraged against financial commitments made by three other entities as part of the overall package.
The city of Trenton’s share is listed as $1,123,000.
Urton noted the community development block grant promised to Trenton expires in September 2018 and would have to be returned if the sales tax issue fails.
Likewise, Urton said money budgeted by the Department of Transportation could be re-assigned somewhere else. And it’s unknown how long theUnion Pacific Railroad will keep its pledge to financially contribute to the bridge replacement. Once it’s built, the railroad would relinquish ownership of the new 17th street bridge to the city of Trenton.
If the sales tax issue passes, the next steps in the process include drafting final design plans and to obtain properties near the bridge in preparation for their demolition.
City Administrator Ron Urton Junior offered a tentative timeline.
Urton describes the nearby buildings that are in the way of the proposed new and longer 17th street bridge.
It was also noted that nearby street intersections would have to close because of the bridge.
The existing bridge is 106 feet long, while the new bridge is to be 165 feet long and 32 feet wide. It’s also to have a pedestrian walkway.
A community come and go open forum about plans for the new bridge, and the local sales tax to help pay for it is March 29th 5 to 7 pm in the Sugg Room of Ketcham center.
While replacement of the 17th street bridge in Trenton is the top priority for revenue generated by a proposed three-eighths of a percent local sales tax, there are some other uses potentially in the future for the funds.
The sales tax question is on the city of Trenton ballots in the April 4th election. If passed, collections on this sales tax would “sunset,” or come to an end, in ten years.
City Administrator Ron Urton says some of the additional new construction projects that could be financed by the Trenton transportation sales tax include sidewalks.
Urton explained that by state law, money raised by a transportation sales tax can not be spent on vehicles nor on salaries. He said it also would not be used to reduce the existing street department budget.
Urton did note that some of the sales tax revenue can be used to pay for utility relocations as a result of the new 17th street bridge.
That expense has been included in the overall cost of the $3,000,000 plus project.
A recent traffic survey shows an average 3800 vehicles cross that bridge daily.
