New Funding Secured
We are pleased to announce that the Utah State Legislature just approved an appropriation of $1.23 million to close the gap in the Jordan River Parkway Trail between North Temple and 200 South in Salt Lake City. The budget bill is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. We are incredibly appreciative of the State’s support for this important project.
There are currently two remaining gaps in the trail:
- A gap in the trail still exist in the Bluffdale area: 14400-15000 South. This trail segment is fully funded and Salt Lake County is in the process of securing the easements necessary to construct the trail.
- In Salt Lake City, a gap exists between North Temple and 200 South. Closing this gap requires a 1,200 foot long, ADA accessible bridge to span three active freight rail lines.
The total cost for closing the Salt Lake City gap is $6.64 million, of which $6.14 million has now been secured. Raising the funding for this last gap has been a wonderful example of intergovernmental partnerships between Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City, the Jordan River Commission and the State of Utah. The majority of the funding for the bridge, $4.5 million, comes from the voter-approved 2012 Salt Lake County Regional Parks and Trails Bond. Salt Lake City contributed an additional $660,000, and $204,000 was contributed by partnership grants through the Jordan River Commission. With the $1.23 million just appropriated by the Utah State Legislature, only $50,000 is left to raise to close the very last gap in the trail. Salt Lake City is committed to completing this project and anticipates internally allocating the funds necessary to complete the project.
Now that the funding for the bridge is secured, trail planners plan for the entire 45 mile Jordan River Parkway Trail to be open for public use in 2017. When complete, Wasatch Front residents will be able to ride 112 miles – from Roy to Provo – on a series of connected trail systems. These include, from north to south, the Denver and Rio Grande Trail, the Legacy Parkway Trail, the Jordan River Parkway Trail, the Murdock Canal Trail, and the Provo River Parkway Trail.
Learn more about the North Temple Trail Gap here.
