The Department of Public Lands has been busy during the pause preparing for the formal evaluation of its Phase I trail work and laying the foundation for further analysis and public engagement to inform Phase II implementation in 2022 and beyond.
The City is in the process of contracting with environmental consultant SWCA to complete a thorough investigation of wildlife, vegetation, cultural, and scenic resources over the next 6-9 months via stakeholder engagement, data discovery, and environmental review.
Additionally, the City is finalizing a Request For Proposal (RFP) to hire a Trail Design and Land Conservation specialist that should be recruited, vetted, and selected in the next 4-6 weeks. This specialist should have expertise in best practices related to natural surface trails. The specialist will review the adopted 2020 Foothills Trail System Plan, evaluate Phase I trail construction, and make recommendations for future system planning and management. Their work will include hosting stakeholder meetings for input solicitation and presentation of findings.
Public Lands staff and PNUT advisory board members recently attended the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation Summit and Utah Trails Forum in Logan. They had an opportunity to network with trail industry leaders from around the state to discuss best practices in trail system management.
This summer, the City Council approved the Mayor’s 2021-2022 budget which included funds to improve safety, accessibility, and convenience at our critical trail access points. These funds were used to leverage additional funding from the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation for county-wide Bonneville Shoreline Trail enhancements and accessibility improvements. The Public Lands Department has been working with the City’s Transportation and Streets Divisions and planning consultants for initial conceptual designs for trailhead infrastructure enhancements. We will include more specific information about this in next month’s update.
On the ground, the trails are being monitored and maintained. The Public Lands team launched a Trails Ambassador Program, receiving over 50 applications, and selecting over a dozen committed volunteers to be designated stewards of our trails. They attended formal orientations, and some have already been out in the field inventorying trail conditions and supporting their sustainability.
Staff replaced the recently-stolen 31 wayfinding signs on October 11. Other trail-related infrastructure improvements include sign and fencing installation on the to-be-completed Twin Peaks Trails; fence and signage installation at bottom of the 19th Ave bike trail to slow bikers down at trail junctions; and the Streets Division’s installation of three trail crossing signs and painted crosswalks along Bonneville Blvd, which connect the Lower City Creek Loop trail to the BST and nearby trailheads.
