Traffic cones line a drainage ditch along Fifth Street in Biggs, where the City Council voted Feb. 24 to redirect about $110,000 in state grant funds to install a missing stretch of sidewalk between Trent and Bannack streets Photo by Seti Long

BIGGS, CA (MPG) - With a deadline looming, the Biggs City Council on Feb. 24 voted to redirect about $110,000 in remaining state grant funds to complete a stretch of missing sidewalk along Fifth Street. The decision ensures the city will not forfeit the unused balance of its Regional Early Action Planning, or REAP 2.0, grant, which must be spent by the end of the year, officials said.

City Engineer Dave Harden urged the council to act quickly, reminding members that the money cannot sit idle.

“If we don’t use it, we’re going to lose it,” Harden said, noting that the state requires all REAP funded work to support pedestrian access, infill housing or reduced vehicle miles traveled.

Biggs originally received $158,519 in REAP 2.0 funding through the Butte County Association of Governments, an amount later increased to $295,642. The bulk of the grant reimbursed engineering and design costs for the Second Street Bicycle and Pedestrian Project, which began in 2021 and advanced the city’s long term goal of improving non motorized travel. Once that project was completed, approximately $110,000 remained available for reallocation.

Because paving and general road repairs do not qualify under the grant’s climate focused criteria, Harden said staff evaluated options that would improve walkability and ADA access. They identified a sidewalk gap on Fifth Street between Trent and Bannack streets as the most practical and cost effective choice. The corridor already includes curb and gutter, allowing the city to focus solely on installing sidewalk and curb ramps rather than undertaking a full street reconstruction.

Officials said the sidewalk improvement will create a safer and more accessible walking route between nearby housing and downtown businesses, offering residents an alternative to the busier Sixth Street corridor. The project also aligns with the city’s broader efforts to encourage short walking trips and reduce reliance on vehicles.

Council members unanimously approved directing City Administrator Nicholas Gauthier to submit an amendment requesting the reallocation of the remaining REAP funds. There is no direct financial impact to the city, as the work will be fully reimbursed through the grant.

City officials said they plan to move quickly so the project can be designed, bid and completed before the spending deadline.