County Parks sets meeting on bike trail

Sonoma County Regional Parks invites the public to participate in its study of a potential bicycle and pedestrian trail through the Sonoma Valley.

The first of three information sessions on the trail concept is scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Sonoma Valley Veterans Memorial Hall, 126 First St. W. Participants will learn about the project’s background and scope and will have an opportunity to ask questions, complete a survey, and provide comments.

The trail route could run 13 miles from Melita Road in east Santa Rosa to Agua Caliente Road north of Sonoma, connecting the cities with The Springs, Glen Ellen and Kenwood and providing links to parks and popular Sonoma Valley destinations. The trail would provide a safe way for bicyclists and pedestrians to travel the busy Highway 12 corridor and would be a major component of Sonoma County’s inter-city trail network. This trail feasibility study will look at possible alignment and design, project costs and benefits, and construction priorities.

The study is funded with a $190,575 community-based transportation planning grant administered by Regional Parks and the California Department of Transportation.

A second workshop is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Dunbar Elementary School, 11700 Dunbar Road, in Glen Ellen.The third information session is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at Sonoma Valley Regional Park, 13630 Highway 12 in Glen Ellen. At this session, participants will walk to a potential trail section near the highway to better visualize project conditions and challenges.

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 25, a project survey will be available in English and Spanish at parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/About_Us/Project_Details/Sonoma_Valley_Trail_Proposed.aspx.

For more information, contact Regional Parks Planner Ken Tam at 565-2041 or ken.tam@sonoma-county.org or visit the project webpage.