Regional Parks Hosts Third Workshop for Russian River Trail

Sonoma County Regional Parks is hosting a third community workshop to gather input on a potential Russian River bicycle and pedestrian trail between Forestville and Jenner. The meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Monte Rio Recreation and Park District office, 20488 Highway 116. Spanish interpretation and refreshments will be provided.

Responding to community interest and safety concerns, Regional Parks earlier this year began soliciting public input and studying the feasibility of building a 19-mile trail along the lower Russian River corridor. The proposed trail would provide a walking and bicycling alternative for commuters traveling busy River Road and Highway 116 and add to recreation opportunities in the popular tourism area. 

Regional Parks’ planners and consultants will discuss a preferred trail route and preliminary trail design identified after months of study. The public is invited to review the preferred and alternate routes and offer feedback before the draft trail study is presented to the Board of Supervisors for review later this fall.

The study’s findings will guide any subsequent trail design, land acquisition, planning and environmental review. Trail construction would depend on approval by the Board of Supervisors and the availability of future funding.

 The preferred trail alignment will be posted on the project website approximately one week after the workshop.

The trail study is primarily funded by a $620,000 grant from the California Department of Transportation. Additional funding includes $120,000 from the Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District, $10,000 from the Sonoma County advertising program and local park mitigation fees,  $5,000 from the Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation, $5,000 from the Monte Rio Recreation & Park District, $5,000 from Korbel Winery, $2,500 from the Russian River Recreation & Parks District and $1,000 from The Wildlands Conservancy.

Regional Parks in recent years completed similar feasibility studies to identify preferred routes for trails linking Petaluma and Sebastopol and Santa Rosa and Sonoma. Construction has not started on either of those projects and would require funding and approval by the Board of Supervisors.