Riding into tomorrow
New trail along the south bank of the American River, when finished, will serve cyclists and future residents of the scenic area
By M.S. Enkoji - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, March 19, 2007
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B1
Cyclists follow Two Rivers Bike Trail near the Fifth Street entrance to the city of Sacramento, in the background. The trail's first phase, finished in November, spans 21/2 miles atop the levee between Interstate 5 and Highway 160. The trail eventually will run from Discovery Park east to Sutter's Landing. Sacramento Bee/Bryan Patrick
The asphalt on the levee for bicycles practically sparkles like black glass in spots -- a sign that few bicyclists have discovered this new trail. Although only half of the five-mile Two Rivers Bike Trail in northern Sacramento is finished, its potential is already gleaming for cyclists -- and for people with real estate in the surrounding gem of the River District.
The trail is like icing on a cake yet to be baked, said Steve Ayers, past president of the River District. The property and business improvement district, from Interstate 5 east to Highway 160, is rimmed by the south bank of the American River -- and the finished part of the trail. "It means people living here will have nice access to the river, and it just provides for additional quality of life," Ayers said.
The River District has plans to largely transform the warehouse- commercial area that backs against the river into a lighter mix of housing and commercial. Rather than hide the river, people here want to showcase it, dressing it up with new assets like the bike trail. "It's one of Sacramento's best-kept secrets. That's evolving and changing," Ayers said of the south bank of the American River.
The first phase of the Two Rivers trail, finished in November, spans the 2.5-mile stretch of the levee top between I-5 and Highway 160. A modest workout, maybe, but it's a linear work in progress: The city this week got an agreement from Sacramento County for some property easements along the trail. "It's kind of limited, but it offers up views of the American River that haven't been seen," said Walt Seifert, executive director of Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates. "It's a very nice amenity, given the development coming in the Richards Boulevard area," Seifert said.
One of those developments, called Township Nine, will convert an old cannery property into 2,700 condo-style homes and offices and will probably become the first significant residential village in the area. The unfinished part of the trail extends east, beyond the River District for another two miles to Sutter's Landing Park, just short of the Capital City Freeway. That part would link to a connection across the river to the north bank's American River Parkway bike trail, the regional giant that extends to Folsom.
Therein lies the challenge. First, money to build it has yet to be found. Furthermore, grants to construct bike trails usually go first to trails identified as commuter routes, said Ed Cox, alternative modes coordinator for Sacramento. Securing the money is high on the city's wish list, Cox said.
Another problem is connecting the east and west ends of the trail. The Highway 160 and 12th Street bridges, which span the river about midway on the trail, are like roadblocks for the bike trail. The logical options, a trail bridge over the roads or tunnel underneath, are way too expensive and entail engineering difficulties involving the river, Cox said. "It's a real big question mark what we're going to do there," he said. One less expensive solution involves routing trail users onto surface streets, using crosswalks and traffic signals, Cox said.
Ayers said his group will lobby hard for completion of the entire trail. "Everyone is looking forward to when that transpires," he said. "Things take time. And it's well worth the wait."
