GUERNSEY – The walkway connector that was in the works for some time finally became a reality Oct. 22 and was officially recognized with a ribbon cutting ceremony declaring the route open for travel.
“This took a lot of work,” Maj. Gen. Gregory Porter said before the ribbon was actually cut. “I had to keep pushing all those roadblocks that were in the way. This will be nicer and safer for those of us that are on the camp.”
The walkway was created so that there would be no walking on busy roadways or having to cross traffic-laden intersections.
“I can’t thank you enough for keeping up the hard work, because it would have been so easy to say, it’s too tough to get done,” Porter said. “But you didn’t and you kept going, and you not only made a difference, but you probably saved some lives.”
Matt Allred, the Guernsey town planner also was in attendance to speak on behalf of the community.
“This portion of the walking path is to be called the Camp Guernsey conector,” Allred said. “It’s technically part of the Lucindy Rollins walking path. I started working for the town of Guernsey in 2007. A walking path started very shortly thereafter. It’s been amazing to be affecting the health, safety and welfare of the community for such a long time, and to see this happen like General Porter said, this is the eighth phase of this project.”
Allred said that there is a minimum of three phases yet to go before completion of the overall project.
“We’re not done,” Allred said. “But we’ve made huge strides. This project has involved multiple engineers, TST engineering, western development research, military engineering. From the trail master plan is where we keep developing this.”
The town of Guernsey continues to press through with these special projects even in the midst of the BNSF pull-out and COVID.
“It’s a great example of how a community such as Guernsey, it’s mayor, council and Kate Farmer, the town clerk works together,” Allred said. “Everybody knows that without financial support, you can’t finish a project, you can’t even start one. Kate is the best I’ve ever worked with for funding and managing and we’re lucky to have her.”
Allred concluded by saying that everyone who is working at Camp Guernsey will benefit from the walkway in not having to “walk the fog line” to and from town.
And at approximately 0-nine hundred hours and a half-hour or so, the dream became a reality.
