Flagstaff committees review CIP projects and trail connections including Mountain View, Foxglen and Mount Elden match proposal

Committee members and staff reviewed the pedestrian and bicycle elements proposed for the city's five-year capital improvement program and discussed trail connectors that would improve access to NAU, Buffalo Park and neighborhood bus connections.

Staff outlined several projects under consideration for funding in the capital plan, including Mountain View (linking the Lone Tree improvements and Sawmill to Sinclair Wash Trail), Hoskins, Sinclair Ridge, a Foxglen connector (including an underpass at 4th Street built by a private developer in exchange for a trail), and a Southwest Crossing reconnection to a new city park.

On funding, staff described a potential approach to support the Forest Service's ADOT-funded Mount Elden study and future construction by including roughly $150,000 in the city's capital plan as match money, which would strengthen a Forest Service grant application. "If we include money to include those connecting trails, that that might be able to be used for that match," the presenter said.

Members debated priorities, commuter value and terrain constraints (steep grades and single-track trail segments) and noted the need to balance limited funds against projects that remove safety bottlenecks or complete critical network connections. Several members recommended focusing on connectors that unblock larger projects or removing small bottlenecks that prevent a route from serving commuters.

Staff said the capital plan list will be refined for December and presented at a council retreat in February; projects listed in year 1 would be budgeted and ready for implementation, while years 2–5 indicate priority sequencing.

Next steps: Staff will return with a draft capital program in December and expect committee input ahead of the February council retreat and subsequent council approval cycles.