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Interstate pathway master plan stalls over maintenance, TAP grant conditions
Summary
A proposed 20-mile bicycle pathway between Rawlins and Walcott drew funding and maintenance questions at a June 3 update; a TAP representative said federal/state funding requires year-round public access and maintenance obligations that the group has not resolved.
Council staff reported on a joint meeting about the Interstate Pathway Master Plan, a proposed bicycle route between Rawlins and Walcott that is part of a longer coast-to-coast corridor. At the June 3 meeting, staff said potential funding sources were discussed but that some funders, including a representative from the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), would require the pathway to be open and available 365 days per year.
"If we use this funding, we would have to ensure that this pathway would be open and available for transportation 365 days a year," staff reported, adding TAP had no exceptions for that requirement. Council members expressed concern about the cost and ongoing maintenance responsibility for a 20-mile stretch; staff said the overall price tag suggested at that meeting was about $13 million and that full funding had not been identified.
Republic options and routing alternatives were raised. Council discussion included a suggestion to route part of the pathway through forested areas toward Encampment to avoid interstate proximity and heavy traffic; staff said the group will examine alternate routes and look for other funding sources while clarifying maintenance responsibility.
Council members asked whether seasonal approaches (for example marking route posts for winter rather than plowing) could satisfy grant conditions; staff said they would investigate whether such approaches fit sponsor covenants.
No construction or commitment decision was made; the multi-jurisdiction planning group will continue exploring funding and routing alternatives.
