After much debate, Jasper is getting its pedestrian underpass.

Council voted 5-1 to award the $2.7 million project to Jasper Construction, ending a contentious debate about the need for a pedestrian underpath beneath the railway crossing on Hazel St.

“This shows a commitment to a pedestrian lifestyle, something that has been in the town’s vision statement since 1997,” said Mayor Richard Ireland.

Before the motion was approved, manager of environmental services Ken Quackenbush told council the low bid had been reduced by a further $120,000. Despite the reduction, the project is still 13 per cent over tender, he said.

Under the revised capital plan, the underpass will now be paid for through the Jasper Banff fund, a grant that is slated to run out in 2011 with no word on renewal. The rest of the funds – about $292,000 will be paid for by the town’s portion of the gas tax.

“The gas tax almost doubled this year. We now get $260,000, which is up from $160,000,” said town manager George Krefting.

Krefting said the municipality has enough money to complete the project, however work on Colin Crescent will be pushed back until 2011.

Despite the reduction, not all of council was satisfied.

“At $2.74 million, it’s still way too high. I can’t justify that,” said Coun. Brian Skehill. “This project is not a necessity. Nearly everyone I talked to could care less about it. We should re-tender or cancel the whole thing altogether.”

Quackenbush explained that the tender was based on 2007 rates, something other municipalities have done in order to better predict costs. However Jasper hasn’t seen the same drop in tender prices as Edmonton, he said.

Coun. Brenda Zinck disagreed with Coun. Skehill, noting that she’s heard lots of support for the underpass.

“We are trying to be great stewards and promote a green and pedestrian friendly community, and there is a danger there. We have to look at the long term,” Zinck said.

Coun. Rico Damota said he was back and forth on the issue, however the fact the construction will help save money on other projects – namely work on the Atco gas lines and service extensions to the new hostel and washrooms swayed his support.

Coun. Damota also questioned the agreement with CN. He said the Town of McBride recently received a car underpass, that was entirely paid for by CN. He asked why Jasper didn’t receive a similar agreement.

Manager of corporate services Vern Balding said he didn’t know the specifics of the McBride case, however he said since the railroad predates the street at the crossing in Jasper, the onus to pay was on the road.

Mayor Ireland said the town had the option of taking CN to a tribunal to get them to pay for a portion of the project, however he supported the current arrangement that will see CN supply a block of time for the construction. He also said he’s unsure how long that agreement would stay in place, so the town should move now to construct the underpass.

“We got certainty, but how long that will last, I don’t know.”

Mayor Ireland also said the cost overruns did not change the opinion of those he spoke to.

Coun. Ralph Melnyk said they had ‘all struggled with the decision’ but he said the move was in line with the vision of the town as a pedestrian friendly town. He also said if Patricia street is converted into a pedestrian-only street, a parking structure would need to be built, which would likely fall on the other side of the tracks.

“For the long term, this is the right thing to do,” Melnyk said.

CN traffic is up to 36 trains a day.