The Summit County Council allocated $1.2 million Aug. 9 for a paved trail that would start just south of Kamas city center and run to the intersection of state Routes 32 and 35 in Francis.
It’s the latest step toward completing a trail running the length of state Route 32 from Francis to Oakley.
County Engineer Steve Dennis said the new money could be used to match federal money if the county seeks any more grants. Summit County already has a state grant to help build the S.R. 32 trail.
“For right now, we think that our current grant that has been awarded for the trail, plus this additional funding, is enough to complete the section,” Dennis said, “both from Marion—where it currently terminates—to Kamas and then from Kamas on to Francis.”
The project will cost about $4.5 million in total, with $2 million coming from the state.
When completed, the trail could be up to 4 miles long. The only section built so far is 1.1 miles, running from New Lane Road to Marion Park.
The portions connecting Marion to Kamas and Kamas to Francis add 2 miles. Connecting those two segments with a trail through the Kamas city center is still a hypothetical, pending input from Kamas city officials.
Dennis says both new segments could be constructed in 2024.
The Marion-Kamas segment is already funded, but construction was on hold while the county waited for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on a case coming out of Idaho, “Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency.”
The EPA had tried to prevent the Sackett family from building a home on what it said were protected wetlands. The case was relevant to the S.R. 32 trail, which would traverse wetlands north of Kamas
“Our plan was to construct [the Marion-Kamas segment] this year, just with the Supreme Court ruling and everything, we thought it best to delay a year to make sure we get that process right,” Dennis said.
In May, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Sacketts. With the wetlands construction issue settled, Summit County can give the developer it’s contracted the go-ahead.
