NORWICH – A year-old roadway project that would create wider shoulders on county Rte. 32 between Oxford and Greene will cost local taxpayers more than previously projected, county officials learned last week.

Chenango County was awarded a federal $775,000 transportation enhancement grant in 2007 to build the five foot wide, paved shoulders and specifically mark them for use as bicycling/pedestrian trails. The grant called for a 20 percent local share.

Now, calculated for inflation, Department of Transportation Director Randy Gibbon said the project’s price-tag stands at $1.2 million, bringing the county’s total share to $580,000.

“Back three years ago when this began, we had no idea prices were going to jump like this,” Gibbon told members of the Public Works Committee June 19.