Bountiful council hears feasibility briefing on South Davis Greenway; demonstration set for June 26

Bountiful city leaders on May 12 received a detailed briefing on the South Davis Greenway feasibility study, a regional effort to create a continuous, separated multi‑use path through South Davis County. Francisco, a city staff member, said the study—funded through the Wasatch Front Regional Council’s Transportation and Land Use Connection program and local contributions—is evaluating alignments, roadway crossings, utility constraints and implementation options.

Consultant Brent Crowther, who said he lives nearby and serves as the project manager, described the proposed alignment through Bountiful along Orchard Drive and 200 West/400 West, connecting south to Centerville and north to Farmington. “It’s kind of going to serve as a backbone to the community,” Crowther said, adding the corridor would provide “more trail access to thousands of our residents.” Crowther said the study is being shaped to position the project for consideration by the Utah Trail Network, a statewide active‑transportation funding program that he said was seeded with about $45 million per year in its initial plan.

Why it matters: the corridor would fill a long gap in east‑side active‑transportation options, link schools and parks (including Bolton Elementary, South Davis Recreation Center and Viewmont High School), and connect to new shared‑use facilities being constructed as part of the I‑15 reconstruction. Staff said the current feasibility study is conceptual; no final alignment, funding commitment or construction schedule has been approved.

Design and operations: Crowther said the typical cross section under consideration is a 12‑foot shared‑use path with a six‑foot buffer where right‑of‑way permits, retaining existing left‑turn lanes and sidewalks in many locations. The design goal is a “low‑stress” environment for users aged roughly 6 to 80. On user conflicts he acknowledged the speed differential between fast cyclists and pedestrians but said the 12‑foot width is intended to permit safe passing while trail etiquette and facility management will be important.

Funding and phasing: Francisco and Crowther said the feasibility study was paid in part by the regional WFRC grant and local contributions (the staff report lists each participating city’s contribution as $7,500 and a $115,000 matching grant for a $145,000 total). Crowther noted Utah Trail Network grants can be awarded without a local match and that typical Trail Network projects average $8–10 million, so the greenway will likely be built in multiple phases. The study team has identified five segments and hopes to complete the feasibility study this summer so that the earliest funding request could be considered in the next funding cycles;Crowther estimated first construction could occur in the 2030–31 timeframe depending on funding availability.

Local impacts and concerns: Council members pressed on parking and driveway effects. Several downtown businesses on 200 West (between Fourth North and 500 South) rely on curbside parking; the project team said replacement parking or mitigation (side‑street or district parking) remains to be studied. Francisco clarified that some areas such as Second West function today as informal street parking rather than marked public lots. On driveway crossings, Crowther said the team is quantifying driveway counts and typically ties driveway aprons into the public right‑of‑way to minimize private property impacts, but noted driveway and utility pole relocations are significant cost factors.

Maintenance and winter service: A council member asked who would clear snow on the greenway. Crowther said current practice is for local jurisdictions to maintain snow removal on local facilities; while Utah Trail Network legislation allows maintenance to be funded from program dollars, the program’s current policy expects local maintenance. The team noted some grant rules and policies could change and that maintenance responsibilities will be part of future negotiations.

Public engagement and next steps: The project team will hold a demonstration event on June 26 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. adjacent to Bountiful City Park to show how a greenway lane would look using cones and bollards during a concert. Staff will provide large maps and outreach materials at that open house. The feasibility study will continue through the summer; staff and the consultant said they will share detailed alignment files and cost estimates with councilors and the project advisory committee.

What’s next: no formal action or votes were taken. Staff and the consultant will refine driveway and pole counts, parking mitigation options and maintenance cost estimates, present those findings to the advisory committee, and host the June 26 demonstration for public feedback.