Park City residents pass $15 million trail-system bond
That $15 million bond is a big start to making Park City completely interconnected through trails, linking neighborhoods, shopping districts and even mountain trails.
"I'm utterly elated" said Carolyn Frankenburg, who lives in the Park Meadows neighborhood and began pushing for a walkable city two years ago.
"It was really just grass roots, neighbors getting together and talking about how unsafe it is for us to be out on our own streets. We're in this idyllic place, where we have miles and miles of mountain trails, but you can't get from one neighborhood to the other without crossing some harrowing streets," she added.
Frankenburg said the issue is particularly pressing for school kids, many who have to cross major streets and busy intersections to walk to school. Park City High, McPolin Elementary and Treasure Mountain Middle School all sit on Kearns Boulevard, one of the major arteries into the city. Frankenburg's kids were walking to McPolin when she started looking into making walking routes safer.
Community groups Share the Road, Coalition for Safe Streets and Mountain Trails Advocacy Group also pitched their activism. The city hired Salt Lake City-based Landmark Design to create a trail system to fit in with Park City's unique mountain/urban environment. The study found 105 projects for the city to consider, ranging from a pedestrian bridge to a sidewalk crossing.
The city approved $1.9 million for upgrades last year in the council's budget but activists wanted more.
"Rather than a Band-Aid to fix a sidewalk, we pressed the city for a bigger picture," Frankenburg said.
In August, the Park City Council gave the thumbs up to the $15 million bond. Tuesday's vote tally came down to 1,018 for the bond and 833 against.
Critics said traffic safety is not a problem and that the bond would only benefit Park City proper.
However, Parkites have historically been in favor of recreational improvements. Residents have approved three major open space bonds in the past six years, totalling $40 million, and a 2001 bond for the ice arena at Quinn's Junction.
Those trails will not only be a benefit to locals, but tourists, who could easily walk to Park City's tourist spots once a system is in place, advocates say.
"We see it not only as a huge economic development tool for our tourists and guests, but quality of life for our residents," said Jonathan Weidenhamer, economic development and special projects coordinator for Park City.
Recent comments
What a huge waste of money. Easy for the local liberals to vote in...
USC | Nov. 8, 2007 at 9:02 a.m.
- Attempted murder case refiled 1:58 a.m.
- Sports on the air 1:38 a.m.
- This weekend on TV 1:38 a.m.
- Birthdays for Saturday, July 11 1:38 a.m.
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza 1:37 a.m.
- S.L. man spots stolen car — his 1:23 a.m.
- Girl critical after run-in with train 1:23 a.m.
- Probe of death treated as slaying 1:22 a.m.
- Taylorsville man arrested in robbery 1:21 a.m.
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love' 1:20 a.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza
- Teacher faces new sex charges
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love'
- Jazz down Oklahoma City
- Twitter lets fans communicate, interact
- LDS seminary principal arrested
160 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
99 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
72 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
I love Millsap, and the Jazz will find a way to move Boozer and match for...
i think its childish to assume that somebody would actually want to get...
Millsap and Boozer need to stay in Utah. Millsap is Boozers backup while he...
Childish and immature? Its always easier being ignorant and presuming things...
can you use words like testimony and church leadership to critisize a...
Bro P really helped me through a tough time in my life when I had him in...
These are only allegations at present, but I hope when he goes to trial, the...
My thoughts are with the Pratt family right now. Michael I hope you are...
It is interesting that everyone who seems to be a member comments on how nice...
You presume, simply because they were gay, that they were trying to "stir...

