American Tobacco Trail Extension Delayed

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Credit City of Durham

An artist rendering of the ATT bridge over I-40.

Efforts to extend a popular bike and pedestrian trail in Durham have hit a snag. City officials want to extend the American Tobacco Trail about 4 miles to the Chatham County line. That includes building a bridge across I-40. Bids for the project came in higher than expected. Ed Venable is a manager of engineering and stormwater for the City of Durham.

Ed Venable: The city's committed to proceeding with the project. It's probably the most popular project that I've worked with. So there's a definite will on the part of the city, and a definite desire on the part of the citizens to see the construction completed.
Venable says they'll still likely award the contract within 60 days and have the work done just on the bridge. He says a second phase of funding would include construction of the trail.