Parleys Trail — Daily bike commute gets a lift

Dea Ann and Randy Cate couldn't be more excited to see work commencing on the Parleys Creek Corridor Trail.

The Cates live in the East Millcreek area, just off 3300 South. Randy Cate commutes to work by bike on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail nearly every day, and Dea Ann commutes during nice weather periods. However, Parleys Trail will help the Cates reach favorite shopping destinations in Sugar House and on Foothill Boulevard.

"We will use (the trail) to get to Sugar House to shop (and) to visit friends," she said.

Currently, if the Cates want to get to Sugar House or Foothill Boulevard, they have to bike through neighborhoods off 3300 South (less traffic) and go all the way down to 2000 East to get across the freeway safely.

In addition to safer commuting, the Cates feel the trail will connect neighborhoods.

"We're excited about any corridor that's going to link neighborhoods," Dea Ann said. "Freeways are fast but they dissect the neighborhoods into smaller and smaller chunks. Anytime you link neighborhoods, it is beneficial."

Construction is moving forward on Parleys Creek Corridor, an 8-mile stretch of trail that will connect the Bonneville Shoreline Trail to the Provo Jordan River Parkway. The trail is the first east/west corridor in the valley. Ground was broken on the first segment of the project in April, and work is progressing at a nice pace.

"Things are happening so quickly. It's almost like hour by hour, things are happening," said Lynne Olsen, vice-chair for outreach on the Parleys Rails Trails and Tunnels Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group that has helped encourage the creation of the trail.

Parleys Creek Corridor will be a Class 1 trail, 12 feet wide and asphalt paved, running parallel to I-80 but completely separate. It's designed for both cyclists and pedestrians.

Walt Gilmore of Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, project manager, said with the funding available to date they want to focus on three main areas: (1) from the mouth of Parleys Canyon to Tanner Park; (2) from 1700 East through Sugarhouse Park to the Hidden Hollow Natural Area; and (3) the pedestrian bridge over the Roper rail yard.

By the end of September, the pedestrian footbridge over I-215 should be complete as well as the trail into Parleys Historic Nature Park, on the east side of the freeway. The area for the trail has been carved out and retaining walls put up.