Nearly six years after its initial discussion, construction workers are breaking ground on the Marconi bike/walk path.
The new pathway, which will connect along Robert E. Lee and Harrison Avenue, will be 10-feet wide and stretch one mile, according to City Park. The path will be positioned along the lagoon edge, adorned by several oak and cypress trees.
At nearly $700,000, the Marconi Bike Path will be constructed by Command Construction, and is expected to be completed by summer of 2017.
The construction is currently funded in part by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Friends of City Park, and the Federal Highway Administration. This past October, the state of Louisiana said it would match funds raised by City Park by 80 percent.
As construction is now underway, City Park CEO Robert Becker is elated at the soon-to-be-completed project.
“For some time Park users have enjoyed designated bike and walking paths off Wisner and Robert E. Lee and on Harrison,” said Becker in a prepared statement.
“The Marconi Bike Path fills in the missing link and will provide a safe and scenic path between Robert E. Lee and Harrison,” he added.