JEO interns to help research possible trail expansion
Several summer interns with JEO Consulting Group out of Grand Island will begin work soon to complete a trail study in Aurora with a goal of reviewing proposed new trails as well as existing trails, then offering recommendations regarding any potential connections between the two.
Payton Best, a JEO engineer who has worked on a number of Aurora projects, informed the council at its May 14 meeting of the company’s goals for the summer.
“JEO brings about 30 interns on across all of our offices every summer,” Best began. “These are usually college students studying engineering or similar programs. We will take about five of those interns to work on a summer intern project and in this case that will be the Aurora trail study.”
Best noted that a project like this gives interns an opportunity to work on a real project, while also giving JEO an opportunity to give back to communities like Aurora.
“So that being said, this project will be done at no cost to the city,” Best announced. “The interns are doing the majority of the work, but it will be done under the supervision of Andrew (Wilshusen) a licensed professional engineer,” with input from the Aurora Trail Committee.
As for the scope of the project, Best reported that the intern team will first meet with city staff to discuss the proposed trails, existing trails and any potential connections between the two. They’ll also review any existing trail facilities and determine any recommendations or improvements with those to also establish new proposed trail alignments to expand and then connect to any existing trails. They’ll determine any potential conflicts or challenges that they foresee with the new trail alignments, which she said could include right-of-ways, flood plains, utilities, etc., to also determine if any permitting will be required for the proposed trail.
At the end of the project, the intern group will prepare an estimated cost opinion for each new trail alignment, along with a draft study with all of that compiled information. The group will then meet with city staff with that draft study.
“Then they can get any feedback or comments to incorporate for their final so then they’ll develop a final study that has everything compiled in it, and also identify any potential funding sources with that final study as well,” Best concluded. “They’ll present that final study at the August city council meeting and the idea with that is it will help with any funding or future grant processes that you could potentially go after.”
The council approved the trail study by unanimous vote, with Mayor Marlin Seeman adding a word of thanks to JEO for the no cost study.
“This is a very complicated issue when it comes to placing trails and future development so that they are compatible and I think it’s going to be really creative to see what they come up with, and so I’m excited about that,” he said. “Thank you for promoting this endeavor. We’re very, very grateful.”