MUNSTER | It is bright grass-green, capable of climbing trees, moves quickly and is relatively small for a snake -- just 14 to 26 inches long.

But it's making extra work for Munster's portion of the Pennsy-Greenway Bike Path.

The Smooth Green Snake has endangered species status in Indiana. Its habitat along the eastern border of Centennial Park and the old Penn-Central (Con-Rail) railroad right of way have modified the town's plan for its portion of the bike path.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources recently toured the wetlands area on the borders of Centennial Park and proposed bike path and identified the Smooth Green Snake as an inhabitant.

In addition, the bike path, which hugs the eastern edge of Centennial Park and angles northwest from Main Street to Calumet Avenue, was designed to be closer to the backyards of homes in northern Twin Creeks.

However, residents opposed that idea, said James Mandon, town engineer.

That meant the path had to be moved 10 feet to the west and elevated to avoid the green snake habitat.

"We couldn't move it any farther because the (Centennial Park) golf course is there. We had to go away from the railroad right of way and now we have to get back on the the right of way, but we can't cut through the green snake habitat," Mandon said.

To accommodate reptile residents of this area, the wooden Green Snake Bridge must be built over the snake's habitat, at a cost of $60,000, Mandon said.

Smaller than the bridge over Hart Ditch, the Green Snake Bridge is designed for pedestrians and bicycles, but not larger motor vehicles, Mandon said. It will be between the Centennial Park Golf Course and the adjacent Dog Park.

"It's not as complicated as the Hart Ditch Bridge," he said. "The material bids should be processed soon and we'll go ahead ordering materials for the Green Snake Bridge."

Robinson Engineering of South Holland is designing the bike path and bridges, while Berglund Construction of Chesterton is in charge of building.

Joseph M. Nordman, Robinson Engineering senior project manager, reported to the Munster Town Council on June 28 that the bridge's foundation system will cost $23,400 for the contractor to install helical piles. These wooden foundation piles are used to stabilize light structures. The project's structural engineer also is reviewing this proposal to estimate the cost of the bridge's wooden deck.

Nordman's report said the Green Snake Bridge is about one-third the size of the Hart Ditch Bridge. The Green Snake Bridge will not be steep, Mandon said.

"As long as it's high enough and so it's not blocking the snakes' movement, the DNR will approve it," he said.

Originally, costs for the Pennsy-Greenway Bike Path through Munster were estimated at $728,000.

Munster's bike path system, which includes this 1.5-mile stretch, is now expected to cost nearly $1.3 million. Most of the money comes from a Department of Natural Resources grant of $900,000 made in 2008

On June 22, the Town Council approved the remaining $130,000 from the town's sewer fund to pay for further improvements to the Munster Bike Path along Centennial Park, in West Lakes and from the Indiana-Illinois state line to Fisher Street.