The short version
- What passed: On Nov. 2, Watertown's City Council voted 3–2 to add $98,000 to the Black River Trail Western Connection design contract with Barton & Loguidice, bringing it to $431,500. Council Members Osborne and Shoen voted no.
- Why it costs more: the trail is being redrawn and shortened. It will now end on Sewall's Island instead of Factory Square Park, dropping one of two old railroad bridges.
- Who pays: $78,400 is federal grant money moved from the project's construction budget; the city's $19,600 share comes from federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, not the city tax levy, according to the staff memo.
- Why it passed anyway: quitting now would probably mean repaying the design money already spent, the City Manager said.
Watertown is paying more to design a shorter trail. Here is what the project is, why the bill went up, what each Council member said on Nov. 2, and what comes next.
What the Western Connection is
The Black River Trail already runs along the river east of downtown. The Western Connection is meant to close a gap and bring the trail to the edge of downtown. The city won a federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, administered by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), of $1,663,764 for it (Nov. 2 agenda, Res. 6 staff memo). Under TAP rules, the state pays up to 80% of each phase and the city pays at least 20%.
The original plan (2024): about 1.5 miles of multi-use trail from Marble Street Park, along Marble Street and the former New York Central Railroad corridor, over two former railroad bridges via Sewall's Island, ending at Factory Square Park. The city estimated construction at $2,526,705, with construction planned for spring to fall 2025 (city public-meeting fact sheet, Jan. 2024; press release).
The revised plan (2026): about 1.14 miles, starting at the west side of the Route 3 (Eastern Boulevard) bridge by Marble Street Park, following Marble Street and the old rail corridor, crossing one former railroad truss bridge, and ending at a new trailhead on the north shore of Sewall's Island (Nov. 2 agenda, Barton & Loguidice scope).
Why the design bill went up
The city's documents and the meeting give three reasons:
- Construction would have cost more than the grant. Planning Director Michael Lumbis wrote that the estimated cost to build the original route "would exceed the value of the TAP grant," largely because of the cost to rehabilitate the two railroad bridges onto Sewall's Island. Ending the trail on the island means the westernmost bridge isn't needed (Res. 6 memo).
- Easements were withdrawn. At the meeting, City Manager Eric Wagenaar said property owners who had offered access and easements for part of the route had withdrawn them, "so we had to redraw the route" (video, 18:21; minutes).
- New bridge inspection rules. Wagenaar said the railroad bridges required "additional state inspections." The Res. 7 memo says the $98,000 also pays for earlier environmental review work and a formal railroad bridge inspection, "a requirement that the City received notification of only recently" (Res. 7 memo).
The original $333,500 design budget was "nearly expended." Redrawing means new plans and a Sewall's Island trailhead.
Where the $98,000 comes from
| Piece | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Federal share (80%) | $78,400 | TAP grant, moved from the construction phase to design |
| Local share (20%) | $19,600 | City CDBG funds (federal block grant), per the staff memo |
| Total added | $98,000 | Design phase now $431,500 ($345,200 federal, $86,300 local) |
Source: Res. 6 memo and NYSDOT Schedule A. Moving grant money to design leaves less for construction; the shorter route is how staff plan to stay within it.
What Council members said
- Garrabrant asked staff to confirm that the scope was shrinking and the extra cost was covered by TAP or CDBG money (17:58). He then asked whether stopping now would mean repaying the grant. Wagenaar said that was "probably correct," and that the roughly $330,000 to $350,000 already spent on design "would probably have to be reimbursed by the city" (22:33). Garrabrant said that if this were a new project he "would not be in support of it," but reversing it now would be "more costly to the taxpayer than moving forward" (23:06). Voted yes.
- Osborne said he never understood the project's purpose: "I think it's a poor location for a trail." He said he would rather see the money go to sidewalks, and objected to paying more while "scaling back the project" (19:09). Voted no.
- Mayor Pierce said she had shared those doubts over the years but the project is "so far down the path of completion," with so many state grant dollars involved (19:55). Voted yes.
- Kimball said the TAP grant "was specifically for this project," that only a small amount of CDBG money fills a gap so no city tax money is needed, and that the project has been in the works more than five years. He said ending on Sewall's Island still "accomplishes the goal of getting the trail to the city" (20:20). Voted yes.
- Shoen said, "For me it's always going to be a no whether the project is partially on the way or not." He said CDBG money should go to sidewalks, ramps, housing and demolition, noting that CDBG is still public money, and that the trail will now stop about 600 feet short of Factory Street (21:20). Voted no.
Both resolutions passed 3–2 (minutes).
The emails asking Council to wait
Resident Cliff Olney sent several emails read into the record. Two asked the Council to table Res. 6 and 7, one "until more information can be received on estimates, funding implications, design alternatives and a public-access plan." Others asked for "formal accountability" for funds set aside for the Route 3 Wave and the Black River fund, and asked the Council to spend the money allocated for restoring the wave (minutes; video, 3:44). The Council did not table the items.
About the wave: the Route 3 Wave is a whitewater feature near the Eastern Boulevard bridge, once a well-known kayaking spot. In December 2024, river groups led by New York Rivers United filed a federal complaint saying the city's hydro license requires it to maintain the wave, pointing to a 1990s river fund; Wagenaar said the city complies and the money can be better spent elsewhere (WWNY, Dec. 9, 2024). We could not find a current city document on the fund's balance or any restoration plan. The trail resolutions do not mention it.
Timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Sept. 21, 2022 | Start date of the city's NYSDOT grant agreement (runs to Sept. 21, 2029) |
| Nov. 7, 2022 | Council approves the federal-aid agreement with NYSDOT |
| June 2023 | Council approves the $333,500 Barton & Loguidice design contract |
| Jan. 31, 2024 | Public information meeting on the 1.5-mile, two-bridge plan |
| Aug. 18, 2025 | Council approves NYSDOT Supplemental Agreement No. 1 (final design phase) |
| Oct. 21, 2026 | NYSDOT sends Supplemental Agreement No. 2 |
| Nov. 2, 2026 | Council approves both amendments, 3–2 |
Sources: Nov. 2 agenda packet, Jan. 2024 fact sheet (above). We could not find when the TAP grant was first awarded.
What happens next
- Paperwork to Albany. The city signs and returns the NYSDOT amendment, which also needs state Attorney General and Comptroller sign-off (NYSDOT letter and agreement).
- CDBG plan changes. Staff will amend the city's 2023 CDBG Annual Action Plan to add $19,600 for design, and expect to move some 2025 CDBG construction money to other activities, with no change to the CDBG total already set aside for the trail (Res. 6 memo).
- Redesign. Barton & Loguidice's added work runs from Nov. 9, 2026 to Sept. 30, 2027 (contract Attachment A).
- Construction: we could not find a new construction start date or an updated construction cost estimate. Watch future Council agendas for the bid.
Sources: City of Watertown Nov. 2, 2026 agenda packet, minutes and meeting video. Quotes are from the video; votes are from the official minutes.
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