Sacramento County presents Sailor Bar ADA concept as debate grows over reopening Gravel Road A

Sacramento County Regional Parks presented an early-concept accessibility plan for Sailor Bar on Feb. 24, 2025, while saying it intends to reopen one gravel interior access known as Gravel Road A after completing environmental paperwork and installing gates and signage.

The department asked for feedback on a three-part ADA concept that would create new and modified accessible trail segments linking parking areas, the river and Turtle Pond, and would add wayfinding and audio interpretive aids. Director Liz Bellas told the Recreation and Parks Commission the department has budgeted $209,513 to address accessibility needs identified in the 2019 Sailor Bar ADA accessibility review report and that “we are requesting feedback and input as well as conceptual approval during closing remarks of the commission members.”

Why it matters: the proposal touched off hours of public comment because reopening any interior gravel roads has long been controversial. Regional Parks told the commission it plans to reopen one gravel alignment—Gravel Road A, about 0.35 miles long—to provide closer vehicular access for people with limited mobility, while keeping roughly 2.93 miles of other interior gravel roads closed to public vehicles except for…