WAITE PARK -- Cost to build a small section of the Lake Wobegon Trail in Waite Park are higher than expected.

The project, which will extend the trail along River's Edge Park in Waite Park, is about 80 percent more than the estimated $141,923.

County Parks Director Peter Theisman says costs were higher because concerns over soil and construction costs have gone up from when the project was first budgeted.

During this (Tuesday) mornings Stearns County Board of Commissioners meeting, the board looked over two bids for the construction of phase one of the project.

The choices were between K Johnson Construction Inc, which came in at $251,593, and Landwehr Construction Inc, which came in at $256,866.

The board voted to approved the lower of the two bids.

Construction costs will be funded through state Legacy funds, which will cover about  $238,000 of the cost, and the city of Waite Park, who will cover the remainder.

Theisman says they are still in the early stages of the project and hopes to have shovels hit the dirt by 2017.

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