Lafayette plans summer construction of pathway from Briones lot to Spring Hill Elementary

Lafayette associate engineer Tim Clark presented plans for a 2025 pathway project that would build an ADA-compliant walkway connecting the Briones Regional Park parking lot to Spring Hill Elementary School, saying the route is roughly 450–500 feet long and is estimated to cost about $220,000.

Clark said the project has a $100,000 grant from the Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 and that plans are about 75% complete. "This is estimated to cost about 220,000," he told attendees. He said the city wants to open bids in late March and begin construction after school ends, with about five weeks of work planned so the path is finished before classes resume in August.

The project would replace a mostly dirt and fragmented asphalt route with an 8-foot-wide paved path (narrowing to about 7 feet at one pinch point), a short concrete pad with detectable warning surface at the Briones parking lot, new curb and gutter for drainage, a wooden header board and retaining fence where needed, and a guardrail on the exposed side of the trail. Clark said some shrubs would be removed but the design attempts to preserve existing trees where feasible. "I do like keeping trees if we can," he said, adding only limited tree removals are proposed.

Residents asked about trees and parking. An unidentified resident asked, "So why are you saving the trees, and what does that add to the cost?" Clark said removing trees can cost a few thousand dollars and that he prefers keeping trees for shade and aesthetics when possible. He also acknowledged the city will remove a leaning pine tree that had been damaged and that other trees have been struck by trucks in the past.

Greg Brown, listening by phone, confirmed his understanding that parking in the gravel stalls along the route would be largely prohibited after construction. "Just wanted to confirm that so the parking ... all the way down to the Briones lot is gonna will no longer be permitted," Brown said; Clark confirmed the stalls would be blocked off and that the design includes a gap for utility-truck access and a new "utility parking only" sign to preserve access to AT&T cabinets.

Clark described two slightly different length figures in the presentation: an initial remark that the planned connection was "about 500 feet" and later a description of a "450 foot long" segment. The plans shown during the meeting refer to an approximately 450-foot paved segment, and Clark identified the plan set as roughly 75% complete.

No formal decisions or votes were recorded at the meeting; Clark said the next formal steps are completing plans, issuing the bid, and awarding a contract after the bid opening in late March. The presentation included illustrations of the proposed retaining wall, header board, and a core-10 (rust-colored) guardrail material Clark said is used elsewhere in Lafayette. He also said the design would meet ADA cross-slope limits (maximum 2%) and that the city will provide a slightly shallower slope in design to stay under that threshold.

The city plans to remove parking stalls in the gravel lot to make room for the pathway, install curb and gutter to manage roadway runoff, and provide a wider opening at the utility gate to ensure maintenance vehicle access. Clark gave his contact information and said he would be on site in the coming weeks taking notes and invited neighbors to stop by.

Meeting remarks indicate the pathway was identified in Lafayette's 2022 rapid implementation school-safety plans; the presentation did not include a final construction contract award, specific contractor names, a formal vote, or an exact construction start date beyond the general summer window following school dismissal.

The presentation closed after brief public comment and confirmation of the parking changes; Clark said he would post the meeting recording and contact information to the city website.