But before the council awarded the nearly $900,000 contract for its construction, the elected officials heard from some neighborhood residents who fear the trail will result in their backyards being flooded.

The 10-wide paved trail will be on the east side of 22nd Street between 18th and 25th avenues north.

The council voted unanimously to hire Vieth Construction Corp., of Cedar Falls, to build the trail at a cost of $892,467.57. Construction will begin next spring.

One of the residents who raised concerns about the trail was Mike Littzen. He lives in the 1900 block of North 23rd Street, but his back yard abuts North 22nd Street and part of the trail will go through it.

He told the council that the “watershed for the whole neighborhood” ends up in his backyard. He said he is worried that a heavy rain would essentially wash the trail down into his yard.

“What is going to hold that dirt up there?” he asked.

Larry and Karen Handy also live in the 1900 block of North 23rd Street and their backyard also is next to North 22nd Street. Larry Handy told the council that he is worried that the presence of the trail will flood his backyard.

He also told the council that the city has “provided next to no information that is usable.”

Another resident asked why the city doesn’t just widen North 22nd Street instead of building the trail.

To address the concerns of yards being flooded, Chad Schaeffer, the city’s chief development officer, said more fill will be added to support the trail. He said the nearby storm sewer intakes will be cleaned and maintained.

According to Schaeffer, the trail’s design will result in a negligible increase in rain water running off into yards.

After voting to award the contract, Councilwoman Megan Secor said she is happy that the city is providing a safer option for pedestrians who have to walk in the road in that section of North 22nd Street.

Other bidders for the trail project were Howrey Construction, of Rockwell City, $952,698.25; Castor Construction, of Fort Dodge, $958,253.06; Reilly Construction Co. Inc., of Ossian; $966,281.85; TK Concrete Inc., of Pella, $1,080,508.50; Ten Point Construction, of Denison, $1,104,578.13; and Jensen Builders Ltd., of Fort Dodge, $1,179,308.

The city has $500,000 from the state Department of Transportation to help pay for the trail. The rest of the needed money will come from a previous general obligation bond issue.