The more than a half-million dollars needed to finish a pedestrian bridge project in Jim Thorpe has been secured, representatives from the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor said Thursday night.

Speaking to Jim Thorpe Borough Council at the municipality’s monthly workshop, D&L Executive Director Elissa Garofalo said the added money includes $500,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in the form of a grant amendment, and $65,286 in a hotel tax funds disbursement from the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau.

“All of the funds have now been committed and we’re hopeful that at the borough meeting next week, council will award the bid for the remainder of the work,” Trail and Stewardship Manager Lauren Golden said.

That work includes construction of a retaining wall and trail connection on its east side near the Jim Thorpe wastewater treatment plant.

Jim Thorpe Borough Council has been a pass-through agency for a portion of the bridge’s grant funding.

On Thursday night, Council President Greg Strubinger expressed his disappointment that the borough was not receiving any kind of reimbursement for grant administration costs.

“Back when this was discussed, council was under the impression this was going to be at no cost to the borough,” Strubinger said. “With our limited resources, we have to be responsible and our staff is very strained as it is.”

Garofalo said the borough manager’s work would have been the only out-of-pocket cost for Jim Thorpe and that no agencies, including the D&L, get a reimbursement for administrative costs.

“Other communities smaller than Jim Thorpe have been willing to take on that small cost because they recognize the value of the investment,” she said.

The bridge is a 200-foot through-truss bridge built in Alabama with American steel.

It will create a 57-mile continuous stretch from Glen Summit, Luzerne County, to Cementon, Lehigh County.

The bridge opened briefly for a first crossing and dedication ceremony in June before closing again several hours later, pending completion of the project.

“I think at this point we need to move forward,” Borough Manager Maureen Sterner said. “They got the grant money and we need to move forward.”

Councilman Jay Miller agreed, saying funding had been the only holdup for him.

“We have the money so I’m fine,” he said. “I said I would never approve anything until the funds were guaranteed, and now they are.”