A separate pathway for walkers, joggers and bike riders along Bentley Road took a step forward on Thursday.

Meeting with the Bluffton council street and alley committee, Bluffton Pathway Board members provided a “here’s where we are today” update.

Dick Ramseyer, pathway chair, explained how a side path would handle biking and foot traffic along Bentley from Augsburger to the bridge near Grove Street.

The side path would separate motorized vehicles from pedestrians along the heavily trafficked road.

After hearing the presentation, council’s street and alley committee members, Joe Sehlhorst and Ralph Miller, said that they will take the plan to Bluffton council in anticipation of placing the Bentley project as the lead item in the 2018 village street program.

The steps involved to make that happen include project approval by council then placing it in the 2018 village budget in July. Finally, in December, Bluffton council members vote on its 2018 village appropriations.

If the Bentley Road project is in the approved 2018 village appropriations, it can proceed next year.

In preliminary work on Bentley Road, the village spent $2,350 for two steps:
• Locating the center of the road’s right-of-way
• Approving a feasibility study to determine cost and feasibility of construction

The Bluffton Lions Foundation, working with the pathway board, provided the village with $4,190 in funding for two steps:
• Developing a concept plan
• Providing for a floodplain analysis

Presently the project calls for 28 foot wide asphalt placed from Augsburger to the north side of the bridge over Riley Creek at Bentley and Campus View.

The estimated project cost, which includes adding the side path and repaving Bentley Road totals $195,000.

The proposed funding scenario shows the village’s share at $65,000, Lions Foundation share at $65,000 and local donations at $65,000.