Although not quite final, these are looking good for these two trails to become better connected.
“A design for the extended trail should be complete by the latter half of this year. Due to steep cliffs along the riverbank, much of the trail could be built as a boardwalk, he said. Funding of the project would likely come from system development charges, he said, though the funding and the timing of the project is complicated due to a separate district initiative to rehabilitate the banks of the pond further south.
Longer term, the district intends to extend the trail north of Newport Avenue through a tunnel under the road. Jorgensen said Pacific Power, owners of the riverfront land north of Newport Avenue, is open to a similar easement but the utility and the park district have not yet reached an agreement.
On the city’s east side, the Larkspur Trail runs from Larkspur Park near the intersection of Reed Market Road and 15th Street to Pilot Butte Middle School on Neff Road, passing through a tunnel under U.S. Highway 20 just south of Pilot Butte.
The existing trail splits in two near Pilot Butte, passing on either side of a parking lot at the base of the butte on its east side. Jorgensen said the multiple trails and the absence of good signs creates confusion for walkers and cyclists traveling through the area.
The district is proposing to spend $150,000 to clear up the confusion. A gravel pathway between the parking lot and nearby apartment complexes would be designated as the official trail and paved, and fences, crosswalks, and signs will be added to better mark the route.”
Source: The Bulletin