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City reports progress on trails master plan after well-attended public outreach; priorities include connectivity and utility-corridor paths
Summary
Parks staff and J2 Engineering briefed the commission on trail planning progress and public outreach. Attendees pushed for better trailhead wayfinding, utility-easement connectors, and regional trail interconnections such as the Sun Corridor Trail and Pie In The Sky trail.
Parks staff reported Aug. 20 that J2 Engineering has begun the trails master-plan process and that a public outreach open-house Aug. 12 drew a strong turnout. Assistant Superintendent Matt Golder said the community engagement session generated robust feedback on priorities including connectivity between trail systems, improved trailhead wayfinding, and leveraging utility easements for bike and ped connections. "Trails were put into our department in 2018 with no budget," Golder said, and he highlighted recent trail-building accomplishments including the White Cliffs and Beale Loop systems.
Staff outlined several current trail priorities: completion of the Omaha Drive shared-use path (a roughly one-mile, paved corridor), additional trailheads (including Camp Beale Springs and White Cliffs), and work to prepare the City to host regional routes such as the Sun Corridor Trail, Arizona Peace Trail and the Pie In The Sky trail. Commissioners and members of the public suggested adding small, map kiosks or scannable signs and designing bicycle-boulevard links (parallel residential streets designated for safer bicycle travel) to improve commuting connectivity inside the city.
Why it matters: Trails are a growing economic and recreational asset that can connect neighborhoods, draw regional visitors and support local businesses. The master plan will guide future grant applications, capital investments and interagency coordination with the Bureau of Land Management and external trail groups.
Next steps: J2 Engineering will incorporate public feedback and GIS data into draft recommendations; staff will coordinate with engineering, tourism and other stakeholders and return recommendations to the commission for review.
