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SR‑32 trail push extends costs as wetlands mitigation and scope grow
Summary
Engineering staff told the council the SR‑32 trail expansion’s scope grew from a conceptual $1.5M to $3.2M to reach Kamas and up to $4.6M–$6.5M to finish through Camas/Main Street once wetlands mitigation, access and fencing are included; $2.1M in UDOT grant reimbursement is available.
County engineering presented updated plans and cost estimates for the SR‑32 rural roadside trail and asked the Summit County Council for direction on scope and next steps.
Steve Dennis, of the county engineering division, reviewed recent progress: design and construction of an initial 6,000‑foot segment completed in 2022 with positive resident feedback; environmental and topographic work for downstream phases identified wetlands requiring mitigation. Dennis said early consultant estimates anticipate a 2:1 mitigation ratio for roughly one acre of wetland impact and that mitigation work (including constructing replacement wetlands on partner land) and hauling/grading substantially increases costs.
Cost implications: a 2021 conceptual estimate of $1.5M (to an initial point) has risen to about $3.2M to tie into Kamas City sidewalks (after accounting for reimbursements and prior spending) and to $4.6M–$6.5M to reach and reconfigure Camas Main Street and connect to Francis at SR‑35. Dennis described major cost drivers as: added miles of trail (about 2.6 miles more than original scope), wetlands mitigation construction, a new mile‑long access road, 2,500 feet of fencing, and a large increase in asphalt prices (an 83% increase reported for materials used on the 2021–22 work).
Funding and next steps: the county has an awarded UDOT active transportation grant ($2.1M, 60% reimbursement) and plans to advertise the section between Camas and Francis to contractors for competitive pricing this year. Staff proposed staged work to construct wetlands mitigation sites first and apply for additional TAP and TST monies (including a possible $300,000 TAP application) while exploring cost savings by performing mitigation work in‑house.
Why it matters: the project increases connectivity for recreation and transit access but carries large, growing price tags that the council must weigh against other priorities. Council members asked staff for closer, 80% design cost estimates, stakeholder outreach with Camas City and landowners, and a potential field visit before committing to the larger Camas/Main Street phases.
