Parks staff seek $7.5 million on next 6p ballot for Greenway maintenance and expansion

Jeanne Shrednick, the city’s Parks and Greenway planner, told the council the Greenway system has grown to 48.3 miles and asked the city to include a combined $7.5 million request on the next "6p" ballot: $3.0 million for city Greenway operations and maintenance, $1.0 million for Laramie County to dredge the Lisonbee Draw drainage and an additional $3.5 million for Greenway expansion.

Why this matters: Shrednick said the Greenway is both a recreational and transportation asset used by walkers, bicyclists, runners, nonprofits and commuters. She described recurring maintenance needs — pumps, underpass dredging, bridge and retaining-wall repair, graffiti removal and ADA upgrades — that she said require sustained funding to keep the system safe and usable.

Key details and condition: Shrednick highlighted trail counters that show daily averages at busy points — e.g., 178 daily at Carlson, 165 at Yellowstone Underpass and 123 at Lions Park — and reported substantial volunteer engagement through an Adopt-a-Spot program. She said maintenance accomplishments since 2021 include underpass repair and replacement projects and that some locations, notably the Yellowstone Underpass, show structural distress: consultants estimated a full replacement at about $3.3 million, while more limited repairs could be on the order of about $800,000, she said.

County drainage and dredging: Shrednick said several South Side underpasses are often silted and nearly continually flooded; the county provided a preliminary dredging plan covering multiple underpasses with an early cost estimate of roughly $950,000. Shrednick said the parks request includes $1.0 million to enable county dredging and related drainage improvements so underpasses will be usable and safer for commuters and residents.

Funding history and ask: Shrednick reminded the council that the 2021 ballot included a $3.5 million Greenway expansion ask (proposition 8) and a $2.5 million maintenance ask (proposition 7), both approved at about 60%. She requested repeating the $3.5 million expansion ask and combining it with the city maintenance and county dredging requests for a total $7.5 million ask.

Remaining funds and partnerships: Deputy City Treasurer Brenda Moreau told the council that, through April, the Greenway maintenance balance from the prior ballot is about $1.5 million and the expansion balance is about $1.3 million. Shrednick and council members discussed partnerships with WYDOT, Laramie County and developers for future connections and crossings; she cited completed projects such as the Sweetgrass Underpass, a rebuilt US 30 Underpass and developer-funded Burlington Trail.

Council questions and next steps: Council members asked about counter data, pump replacements (one pump replacement and electrician work estimated just under $10,000 in a College Drive tunnel), dredging timelines and coordination with the recently established stormwater utility. Shrednick said engineering and the county are working on further testing, and that staff will provide follow-up cost updates; no formal motion or vote was taken at the session.