Cities balk on $10,000 cost-share for trail maintenance: You’ve got to be kidding!

A bicycle-pedestrian trail, or network of trails, running from Centerfield to Fairview is an ambitious but achievable goal. Such a system is in keeping with a goal set by former Gov. Gary Herbert in 2017, and supported by his successor Gov. Spencer Cox, to build 1,000 miles of bike trails in Utah.

But creating ways to get around the county safely without a vehicle will require local support, including a little financial support, from residents and local governments.

Some examples of good functioning trails already exist in the county. They include the Gunnison River Walk and the new Mt. Pleasant to Spring City trail. Both trails were constructed primarily with grant funding.

About four years ago, a citizens group called Cycle Sanpete helped attract funding from the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to study the concept of a border-to-border trail in the county.

By 2024, Jones and DeMille Engineering was working on the route for a 45-50-mile route, frequently referred to as the “spine trail.” The study suggested that 80-90 percent of the trail would follow U.S. 89. When the route reached a town, it might detour through city streets and later rejoin the highway. That’s what the Ephraim City Council suggested in that city.

In April 2025 open houses were held in Ephraim, Gunnison and Mt. Pleasant for residents to view draft maps and comment on such issues as routes, safety and proximity to town centers.

Unquestionably, there were and are a lot of open questions about such an ambitious project. What government entity would oversee the project? Some town leaders asked how a trail could be run through their towns without eliminating a traffic lane. Would any private land need to be acquired? What about maintenance? Above all, what would it cost and where would construction money come from?

Despite tough questions, people were excited. When it appeared the first phase of the trial would bypass Centerfield and start in Gunnison, Centerfield Mayor Travis Leatherwood complained. The route was modified to include Centerfield.

Recently, planners, UDOT and cities have started talking about construction, with UDOT covering most of the construction costs. One of the highest priority segments is undoubtedly U.S. 89 between Manti and Ephraim. That stretch is the busiest section of U.S. 89 in the county. And there’s already a fair amount of bicycle, ATV and walking activity along both sides of the road.

But when UDOT asked Manti and Ephraim if they would be willing to contribute a modest $10,000 per year to maintain such a trail, both city councils balked.

What? After trails already completed illustrate the value of and need for nonmotorized travel, after studies costing tens of thousands of dollars, after open houses, and after both cities gave input on routes a “spine trail” could take through their towns, are these cities going to deep-six the whole border-to-border trail concept over a mere $10,000 apiece.

In the past five years, both cities have received millions in funding from the Utah Community Impact Board, congressional earmarks, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, not to mention the Utah Drinking Water Division. Participation of those entities have covered the lion’s share of costs for purely local projects.

Now the shoe is on the other foot. Sanpete County local governments need to step up and share costs for a project touching the whole county and potentially the whole state.

Yes, it will take years, maybe decades to complete a border-to-border nonmotorized trail. It took more than 20 years to complete the Jordan River Parkway in Salt Lake County. But what an asset. With continued support and intergovernmental participation, we can achieve a similar result here in Sanpete County.