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The Parleys Creek Corridor TrailOverview: Parley's Trail will connect the Bonneville Shoreline Trail on the east with the Provo-Jordan River Parkway Trail on the west.
Frequently Asked Questions: What is the Parley's Trail? Parley's Trail is a paved bicycle and pedestrian trail, currently under construction, which follows the Interstate 80 corridor from the mouth of Parley's Canyon to the Sugar House Business District. Two parallel alignments are proposed for the connections between Fairmont Park in Sugar House and the Provo-Jordan River Parkway. Overall, the trail will be about 8 miles long. Parley's Trail will be the major east-west connector trail through Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake City At the mouth of Parley's Canyon, the trail now connects via a bridge over Interstate 215 to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is already developed in this area, crossing Interstate 80 on two pedestrian/bicycle bridges. From the I-215 bridge, the trail will follow the Interstate 80 right-of-way past Parley's Historic Nature Park and Tanner Park to 2700 East Street. An alignment for the trail from 2700 East to 1700 East has not yet been determined, but is currently being studied. At 1700 East, the trail will pass south and then west of Sugar House Park to the site of a old railroad grade under 1300 East. A new pedestrian passageway under 1300 East is proposed to connect Sugar House Park with Hidden Hollow Natural Area and the Sugar House Business District. Using sidewalks and roadways to navigate the business district, the Trail connects to the UTA rail corridor by Fairmont Park. The trail could then proceed west in a "rails -with -trails" development, passing under Interstate 15 and over Roper Rail Yard, to connect with the Provo-Jordan River Parkway. A great deal of work and partnering needs to take place to make the envisioned route a reality. A map is attached showing the proposed route. What is the history of this trail concept? The possibility of an east-west trail along the Interstate 80 corridor was identified in planning documents as a key link in a trail system for the Salt Lake Metropolitan Area. It is identified in the Salt Lake City Open Space Master Plan and the Salt Lake County Trails Master Plan. Provision was also made for the trail development in the Interstate 80 Major Reinvestment Study completed by the Utah Department of Transportation ("UDOT"). City and County officials, UDOT, Great Salt Lake Resource Conservation and Development Council ("GSL RC&D",) the Parley's Crossing Committee, and the Foundation for the Provo-Jordan River Parkway have worked on key pieces of the trail concept. They have been successful in the development of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail crossings of Interstate 80; construction of a bridge over Interstate 215 into Parley's Historic Nature Park; raising funds for trail construction to 27th East, and for trail development from 1700 East Street to 900 East. In 2002, Salt Lake City sponsored a design competition, funded in part by the National Endowment of the Arts, the RDA of SLC, UDOT, and a donation from the Woodbury Corporation, to create a signature pedestrian crossing of 1300 East Street. In 2003, Salt Lake County commissioned a master plan for the Parley's Creek Corridor Trail, which was completed in 2005. Who is proposing the trail development? A large group of community interests and government representatives have come together to propose a trail route and promote its development. Some of the partners in this proposal include Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Sugar House Community Council, Sugar House Park Authority, Utah Department of Transportation, Utah Transit Authority, Bonneville Shoreline Trail Committee, South Salt Lake City, the KOPE Kids of Salt Lake City School District, the Canyon Rim Citizens Association, and Great Salt Lake RC&D. These and many other interests are participating in the PRATT Coalition, named for Parley Pratt, the historic figure for whom Parley's Canyon and Creek are named. The coalition enlisted the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program to help with project coordination. Hundreds of community volunteers have given their time, talents, and resources to the project. Who would be able to use this trail? A ten-foot wide paved trail is planned that would accommodate bicycles, walkers, joggers, roller-bladers, skateboarders and other non-motorized recreation. The trail will provide an alternative non-motorized transportation route for people who want to access parks, schools, and businesses near the corridor. The crossing and trail will reconnect communities fragmented by intensely urban development, and will provide a safe, alternative way to travel between schools, churches, business districts, public services, parks, and government centers. Every effort will be made to create an accessible trail, in accordance with national transportation standards.
Would private property rights be impacted by this trail? The trail route is planned specifically to avoid private property and take advantage of existing public rights-of-way and parks. It is the intent that no private residential property would be needed to develop the trail. The partnership of some businesses may be necessary for trail development. Participation by private residential and commercial landowners is voluntary, and they will be involved in planning the trail development on their properties. How do I comment on this proposal or help to make it happen? The PRATT Coalition will be seeking public comment and support by making presentations to Community Councils as well as to the City and County governments as the trail plan develops. The Coalition will also sponsor special events that allow the public to comment, support, and learn more about the progress of the project. You can reach the PRATT Coalition through the PRATT website at www.parleystrail.org, by writing to the PRATT Coalition at P.O. Box 22105, SLC UT 84122, or by phone/fax at 801-484-8352. Who will pay for this project and how much will it cost? The trail development will likely occur in several phases over the course of the next few years. Success of the project will depend upon creating public and private partnerships to secure the necessary support for funding. Some funding sources may require governmental sponsorships, matching funds, and "in-kind" volunteer services. Some project designs are not yet developed, so accurate costs are not known. An estimate of probable construction costs was included in the Parley's Trail Master Plan. Who will manage and pay for the maintenance of this trail after it is built? The trail is envisioned to be managed, operated and maintained by a cooperative group, with Salt Lake County as the lead agency. In addition, volunteer maintenance, capital grants, and other support could be provided by a non-profit group formed specifically for this trail by the many interests currently participating in the PRATT Coalition. What are the benefits of the trail development? The communities along the Interstate 80 corridor will be connected by the trail, creating non-motorized transportation and recreation benefits. The trail will allow non-motorized access to schools, business districts, parks, churches and other community facilities. Access to parks and linkage of existing open space will increase recreation opportunities for communities in the corridor and connect the communities to a regional trail system. "Greenway" corridors in other cities have been shown to enhance real estate property values. Are trails safe? In the design of the trail, the use of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design ("CPTED") concepts will heighten the safety of trail users, residents and property owners who live along the trail corridor. National studies have shown that the incidents of crime on trails are rare. As the appropriate use of the trail by pedestrians and bicyclists increases, inappropriate behavior declines. Frequent use of the trail drives out inappropriate and criminal activity. When will the trail be completed? The trail will be developed in phases and over a period of years. Construction began in 2007 on the bridge over Interstate 215 that now links Parley's Crossing with the east end of Parley's Trail. Construction has begun for the phase between the I-215 bridge and 2700 East. Phase Four, the segment from 1700 East to 1300 East Street and the proposed passageway under 1300 East, is now being designed, and construction will begin by the end of 2008. An Environmental Study for the trail from the Sugar House Business District west to the Provo-Jordan River Parkway is underway at this time.
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