Riverton outlines 2.7-mile Welby Jacob Canal trail, seeks to reuse existing bridge and $9M in local/state funds

Riverton City officials on an online Wasatch Front Regional Council Technical Advisory Committee meeting presented plans for a 2.7-mile multiuse trail along the Welby Jacob Canal, detailing design responsibilities, remaining approvals and roughly $9 million in state and local funding secured for construction and bridge work.

The trail route, described by presenter Matt Castle, would run along the Welby Jacob Canal corridor across Riverton, crossing several major roads — 118 South, 126 South, 132 South, 134 South and ending near 138 South — and would include a pedestrian bridge at about 134 South and upgraded crossing treatments at other locations. “We are putting a pedestrian bridge across a Hundred And 34 South,” Castle said during the presentation.

The project is split between two teams: Riverton City is designing and has an active bid package for the segment from 118 South to 132 South, while a Utah Trails Network (UTN) award will fund the more complex 132–138 South segment that includes the bridge. Castle said the city completed a preliminary design report to about 30% roughly six months before receiving UTN funds and that the UTN-funded segment’s preliminary design report was finished March 24. City staff expect design to be completed this fall and construction to start in summer 2026.

Why it matters: The trail would add a continuous multiuse path through neighborhoods and improve connections across several busy roadways. It also involves coordination with multiple agencies and the private Welby Jacob Canal company, and presents both engineering and community challenges that affect schedule and cost.

Design and standards: Castle said UTN’s design standards are still being finalized, producing a back-and-forth with project designers to meet requirements while building a trail suitable for local use. He also described working with UDOT bridge engineers to evaluate reuse of an existing pedestrian bridge that was removed and staged near its intended installation site; the city’s engineers found the structure to be in good condition, but UDOT has regulatory caution about using a used bridge. Castle said the first step in design was to evaluate reuse versus replacement.

Funding and schedule: Castle reported the city has assembled roughly $9,000,000 for the project from state and local sources: two county fourth-quarter awards of $2,000,000 each, a one-time appropriation of a little over $1,000,000 and about $4,000,000 from the Utah Trails Network. He said these are state and local funds and that the project team does not plan to rely on current WFRC Transportation Improvement Program allocations for this work. The city will formally relinquish a prior CMAQ allocation (about $1.3 million awarded in 2021) back to the CMAQ pot for TAC reallocation.

Engineering and safety constraints: Castle noted crossing choices vary by road: some crossings will use flashing or HAWK (High-Intensity Activated crossWalK) signals at mid-sized streets, while others — in particular the long section of 126 South that the state plans to widen to seven lanes — will likely require a grade-separated crossing in the future. He also warned the project team expects neighborhood concern where the trail runs adjacent to private backyards.

Canal company agreement and public safety: Castle said the canal remains an open channel; the city negotiated an agreement with the canal company to allow the trail along the open canal. “We are not capping, closing, piping the Canal South. It's an open canal, and the canal company was open to the idea and make an agreement to make it happen,” Castle said. He added humorously to the online audience, “Don't swim in the water.”

Next steps and outstanding issues: City staff will complete design on the city-led segment already out to bid, evaluate reuse of the staged bridge, finalize UTN design compliance and work with UDOT on any state-ownership implications. Castle said the UTN-funded segment is expected to proceed to design this year; if reuse of the bridge is approved and funding holds, construction could begin in summer 2026.

The Wasatch Front Regional Council Technical Advisory Committee did not take any formal action on the Riverton presentation; the session was informational and staff said the city will continue coordination with UTN and UDOT.

Ending note: Castle asked for questions after the presentation and responded to committee queries about ownership, crossings and next steps. The city and partnering agencies will continue design and funding coordination through the coming year.