Several proposed routes for the
Trail alternatives extend between Cortez and Mancos across public and private lands on the north and south sides of U.S. Highway 160.
Planners – funded in part by a $400,000 federal transportation grant – have been studying the topography, private property and environmental issues of the proposed nonmotorized trail, expected to be between 16 and 24 miles.
Throughout the two mile-wide trail corridor there are about 300 private property parcels where the various trail alternatives could potentially cross. Planners have sent letters to them and are following up to discuss whether they are open to trail easements. So far 30 have been contacted in person or by phone with 15 showing willingness to talk about potential easements.
“If they are not interested in the trail crossing their land, we label the property red and will work around it,” said Pete Loris, of Loris and Associations, an engineering consulting firm, during Wednesday’s meeting.
Green-and-yellow colored properties indicate the landowner is willing to talk about easements, but does not obligate them.
As more property owners are contacted the path of least resistance will begin to emerge, said trail-project coordinator James Dietrich, and a single more specific trail location will begin to take shape.
“We’re still in the initial planning stages, but are making progress on potential routes,” he said. “A lot is still on the table.”
The next step will be negotiating easements with willing property owners. In general, private land easements would be held by the county, and include county liability insurance. Property owners would be paid for the easement, or they could donate them. The county would be responsible for easement maintenance in partnership with other towns and organizations. Easements could also include property tax breaks for the property owner. Or, the property owner could sell a trail corridor to the county.
Planners said where topography, sensitive resources, or private land prohibits a trail, it could run along county roads or the U.S. 160 corridor, but separated from the roadway.
The trail plan was initiated by Montezuma County and has shown strong support from Cortez, Mancos, county residents and local government. In 2016, it made the Colorado Governors list for top trails the state would like to see built.
An electronic survey at the Cortez meeting revealed 87 percent of the 100 audience members supported the proposed nonmotorized trail, and 13 percent opposed.
The trail would be built in five-mile phases, but funding for trail construction still needs to be secured.
