Bridgeport City Council Approves First Steps for Connector Trail Monday

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — In the regular session of the Bridgeport City Council on Monday evening, officials discussed the upcoming planning stages for a new walking trail.

The Bridgeport Community Connector Trail is set to receive funding from a grant that the city has been holding onto. This trail will connect the Stone Bridge area of Charles Pointe to The Bridge Sports Complex. Joe Shuttleworth, the director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Bridgeport, has confirmed that the trail will be compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

“We have been working on this transportation enhancement grant for a few years now, addressing the easement issues that were causing delays,” Shuttleworth explained. CEC (Civil and Environmental Consultants) has been selected as the designer of record for this project, enabling us to move forward with the design phase of the contract. This development will enable us to actively involve them in initiating the design process.

“There will be additional paperwork required before construction can commence, however, this marks a significant milestone that will enable us to make tangible progress,” he stated.

In the upcoming stage, which involves design and potentially some construction, the city might need to seek additional funding, as advised by the state, in order to cover the unexpected increase in construction costs that may arise towards the end of the project.

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“I don’t anticipate any significant delays, but there may be additional work required to complete the trail entirely,” stated Shuttleworth. He mentioned that if everything proceeds without complications, the project could be finished in approximately a year, with the possibility of construction bidding taking place this summer.”

In a recent council meeting, Lt. John Post was recognized and honored for his remarkable 30 years of dedicated service in the Bridgeport Police Department.

“He has a few years of experience prior to joining Bridgeport, amounting to over 30 years in law enforcement,” stated interim City Manager Mark Rogers. “It’s worth noting that it’s quite rare for someone to remain in this field for such a significant period of time.” The city’s Public Works Department received praise from council members for their efforts during the recent winter weather.

The snow event was executed exceptionally well, according to my assessment. Councilman Clayton Rice reported that his area experienced severe weather, with approximately seven or eight inches of snowfall. However, he mentioned that the roads were cleared by the following day. Public Works has been praised for their exceptional performance. “That was an intense snowfall,” City Recorder Hank Murray commented.