The first public hearing of the Borough Trail Plan Update happens Wednesday starting at 6 p.m.!
This will be an information gathering session and will be held as a Trails Advisory Commission meeting. It will focus on trails and trail systems west and north of the Steese Highway, including Fairbanks, Chena Ridge, Goldstream, Ester, Cripple Creek, College Road, Farmer’s Loop Road, Murphy Dome, and the Elliott Highway.
The meeting will be held via the Zoom platform. Information on how to join the meeting is in the Trails Advisory Commission meeting agenda (see below).
Another meeting and public hearing is planned for March 1, starting at 6 p.m. That meeting will focus on trails and trail systems east and south of the Steese Highway, including North Pole, Badger Road, Fort Wainwright and Eielson military bases, Moose Creek, Salcha, Harding and Birch Lakes, Steele Creek, Chena Hot Springs Road, Two Rivers, Pleasant Valley, and Chatanika.
Read more about the update below. To find out about the meeting, see:
- Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/events/906934646804011
- Trails Advisory Commission meeting agendas: https://tinyurl.com/yclutvbe
- Trails Advisory Commission general page: www.fnsb.gov/430/Trails-Advisory-Commission
Also, here is a KUAC story about the update.
Trail Users Need to Get Involved
The Fairbanks North Star Borough is updating its Comprehensive Recreational Trail Plan and trail users should speak up.
(Note: this is separate from the Non-Motorized Plan update that is also happening right now. That is a multi-government effort that is focused mainly on use of roads and associated sidewalks and pathways.)
The Comprehensive Recreational Trail Plan is the primary decision-making tool the borough uses to guide protection and management of local trails. The plan does not get updated often, so changes made now could affect local trails for the next 10 or 20 years. That is why it is so important for trail users to speak up now.
As part of this process, you can address issues with existing trails, such a maintenance, public access, and conflicts among user types. You will also eventually be able to address possibilities of new trails
This process is just getting started. The main thrust right now is to collect information, including what trails are being used now. Many trails in the borough on the plan, but many are not. If a trail you care about is not on the plan, now is the time to try to get it added. Your advocacy won’t guarantee that the trail is protected, but staying silent will guarantee you won’t have a say.
R&M Consultants has been hired to help with the update. Money for this project is coming from a federal grant. Unfortunately, the grant has fairly tight deadline, so things have to move fairly quickly. A draft of the plan update needs to be done before the end of the year.
Find out more about the process at the update website or Facebook Event:
Website: www.FNSBTrailsPlan.com
For questions contact Project Manager Bryant Wright, FNSB Parks & Recreation Bryant.Wright@fnsb.gov
