MV Trails Draft Plan Presented, Input Sought

Community planners presented a draft document on a master plan for a trails system in Moapa Valley at a public meeting held on Thursday, September 24 in Overton. The master planning process has been ongoing since January and includes a trail network for the privately held and developed areas of the valley.

Mike Rose of Alta Planning stated that his group was still seeking community feedback on the draft plan before it becomes final later this year. “We are near the end of this process,” he

Only about a dozen people attended Thursday’s meeting. “I hope that you will all go out and tell your friends about this,” Rose said.

Rose emphasized that the process had involved the public as much as possible. The planning process began by gathering data on existing trails use in the community. The group has conducted a good deal of field study, spending time on the ground guided by local residents, Rose said.

Alta Planning experts had also conducted numerous interviews with local stakeholders; people who were active users in areas of equestrian, OHV, pedestrian, cycling or other uses; to get input on where the trails should be proposed.

Rose also pointed out that a number of public meetings had been held earlier this year to gain general public input.

Alta Planning also conducted a thorough survey of the community to determine user needs for trails. “We were able to succesffully survey an excellent sample size that represents a good cross section of the community,” Rose said.

The survey indicated a very high trail use across many different activities including pedestrian, OHV, bicycling, equestrian and jogging. Nearly 10% of respondents stated that they participated in all of these activities. Almost 40% said that they participated in at least three of the activities. “We were frankly a little surprised,” Rose said. “We don’t usually see this much overlap of uses.”

Using all of this input, Alta Planning put together a draft plan that proposes 56 miles of trails of various uses in the community. “I know that this sounds huge,” said Rose. “But it wouldn’t be implemented all at once but, more likely, in several phases over many years.”

The first phase of the system has already been approved and funded. It is a system of trails in Logandale connecting Bowler Elementary to the Moapa Valley High School with trails along St. Joseph, Heyer, Lyman, Gubler and Whipple. This project is currently in process with County Public Works researching what rights of way are available for the system.

The second phase proposed in the master plan would consist of 38 miles of trails that make up the main central spine of the system and primary access routes. The central spine would be a north-south pedestrian/equestrian trail along the Muddy Flood Channel corridor. Off of this main spine would be primary east-west access routes. These would include a trail loop around Bowman Reservoir, extending pedestrian/equestrian/OHV routes east and west along Whipple Avenue in Logandale and along Ramos Ranch and Lewis roads in Overton.

Phases 3 and 4 of the plan would include about 18 miles of loops and connections on the interior of the community system.

A map of the proposed trail system with the various phases showing in priority order may be reviewed by clicking here.

The draft plan also included detailed proposals for streetscape elevations for each of the different types of trails. Specific layouts were available for walking, biking, equestrian and OHV trails along with every possible combination of these elements.

Rose again emphasized that implementation of such a plan would take a good deal of time and would have a total cost of around $8 million. Many of the proposed trails run through what is currently private land and so right of ways would have to be obtained before implementation could occur.

Full details of the plan can be reviewed at www.moapavalleytrailstudy.org Info on providing feedback is also available at the website.