The plan supports application for national scenic byway, which would open the door for federal grants and “put it (the parkway) on the map,” said city administrator Gary Uresk, a member of the Scenic Byway Committee.
The parkway was designated a state scenic byway in 2002, but the committee is now focusing on getting national status, and the plan must be adopted by Centerville, Woods Cross, West Bountiful, North Salt Lake and Davis County.
To obtain scenic byway status, a corridor must focus on unique characteristics or “intrinsic qualities,” of the byway, and the committee chose the Great Salt Lake, Uresk said. They saw the system as a way to promote the shore lands along the Great Salt Lake and give a boost to the tourism industry.
According to a flyer put out by the committee the intrinsic qualities they wanted to focus on include: the ecologic marvels of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem — part of the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve network and the basis of the water cycle along the Wasatch Front; scenic views of the lake, Wasatch mountains, Antelope Island and ranges west of the lake; recreational destinations for trail users, wildlife watchers and byway travelers; and a place protecting the cultural, archaeological and historical remnants of prehistoric and pioneer past.
Before getting to the byway discussion, council members again worried about trails maintenance and who would pay for it.
It’s an issue which has been discussed for months with cities, including Woods Cross, maintaining the Utah Department of Transportation was “vague” according to Uresk in detailing who would maintain the trails. Now, when it appears the cities along the parkway will be saddled with the maintenance, many council members resent the fact that wasn’t made clear from the beginning.
Council member Jill Evans also voiced the need for restrooms along the trail, saying there have been instances of bottles of urine and feces along the parkway.
Another problem was brought up by resident Charles Payne who told council members that if the sticker weeds along the trail aren’t removed, bicyclists won’t be able to use the trails within a year. But the cost of such maintenance seemed to be on the minds of the council. Evans asked Uresk if the city’s budget could absorb the cost of maintenance.
Uresk said he was meeting with UDOT officials next week to discuss some of those very issues. He said the need for restrooms was discussed while the road was being built, but UDOT didn’t see the need for them. “I think they now see the error of their ways,” he said.
To the complaints about the cost of maintenance, Uresk said “we can either see the glass as half empty or half full. They’ve built a wonderful facility, and our people use it. We need to keep an open mind.”
mwilliams@davisclipper.com
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