bike trails – Enviro Updates

Paulina Pineda, PRESS DEMOCRAT

With Santa Rosa’s purchase of the property, supporters shift focus to planning for the city’s newest park.

A late autumn sun warmed a small group of government officials and community members Tuesday afternoon as they set off to cross the length of a 2.2-mile-long, 300-foot-wide expanse in eastern Santa Rosa.

Leading the tour aboard Rosie the Trolley was Thea Hensel, who listed off ideas for what the property, known as the Southeast Greenway, could one day become.

As the group cut through neighborhood streets, up Hoen Avenue and toward Spring Lake Regional Park, Hensel pointed toward the flat lands where play equipment and picnic areas could one day stand.

Maybe the space could host educational programs in partnership with the six nearby schools. There could be room for a community garden, too. “Obviously it’s easy to envision lots of things because there’s nothing here,” she told the group.

For 15 years, Hensel and other residents who live around the greenway spearheaded efforts to preserve as parkland the former state property, once meant for the extension of Highway 12.

Their dedication culminated with Santa Rosa acquiring 49 acres of the former right of way in October.

Now the long-held vision for a future park — a sort of Central Park for Santa Rosa — is closer to becoming reality as the resident coalition, its partners and the city shift their focus to planning.

Mary Callahan, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Russian River Trail Feasibility Study

The vision of a 19-mile bike and pedestrian trail linking lower Russian River communities from Forestville to Jenner is still just that, but Sonoma County officials are taking the first steps toward what they hope might make for a concrete plan one day.

Armed with more than $750,000 in grant funding for the purpose, regional parks personnel are launching a feasibility study to figure out where they might try to route a multiuse trail that would provide a safer alternative than River Road or Highway 116 for cyclists and pedestrians, offering recreational opportunities to locals and visitors.

The high-speed, high-traffic route through west Sonoma County hosts an average of 11,000 daily vehicle trips, and has a history of bicycle and pedestrian crashes, officials said.

“We’re looking at providing a trail that is actually separate from the roadway, if we can provide a safe place for folks to walk and bike,” Sonoma County Regional Parks Planner Ken Tam said. “If we can keep them away from the shoulder it will actually provide safety for the vehicles, as well.”

But “it’s a pretty daunting task,” given the breadth of the study area, significant development up to the roadways in some areas and other obstacles — like bridges, steep embankments, private property rights and the like, Tam said.

A public meeting scheduled Saturday morning in Guerneville is part of the process. County consultants want to hear from the public about priority areas for safe passage and important linkages or destinations, like schools, beaches and service centers, Tam said.

Environmental Center of Sonoma County

Tag: bike trails

Southeast Greenway celebration honors decade-plus work to acquire Santa Rosa’s newest park

Study of public trail along lower Russian River to kick off with Saturday meeting