City Calls On Public To Weigh In On Grizzly Island Trail

The Suisun City Council wants your opinion on the Grizzly Island Trail.

The trail is a plan to pave a path to Crystal Middle School on the south side of Highway 12 from Grizzly Island Road to the intersection of Marina Boulevard and Driftwood Drive.

A conceptual plan shows the trail might run from a parking lot on the west side of Grizzly Island Road to a small plaza at Marina Boulevard and Driftwood Drive, skirting the edge of Highway 12 in a meandering fashion. 

There could be a boardwalk over part of the marsh south of Highway 12. There might be a parking lot and a bus stop area on Grizzly Island Road near McCoy Creek Way if money permits the city to make road improvements that would allow buses room to turn onto Grizzly Island Road from Highway 12. Other entrances would be at Highway 12 intersections with Grizzly Island Road and Marina Boulevard.

The trail is a $2 million project funded in part by a grant through the Solano Transportation Authority and a grant from the state Safe Routes to School program. The city needs to use the grant money to finish construction by June 2012, or it’ll lose the funds.

At a meeting Tuesday, most City Council members shot down the idea of an outdoor classroom at Driftwood Drive and Marina Boulevard, saying it could become a magnet for vandals and skateboarders, but more importantly in a few years it could only overlook a planned subdivision in the area.

“I think it’s ridiculous to have a classroom in someone’s front yard, backyard or side yard,” Councilman Mike Hudson said.

The majority of the council also expressed concerns about safety issues with the path close to Highway 12 at points, noting that in the past few years some motorists eastbound on Highway 12 took out part of the wooden fence that now separates the road from the marshlands.

Dan Kasperson, city public works director, said the path of the trail as conceived is largely the work of environmental constraints, where water and endangered species habitat dictates where it should go.

Some members of the public criticized the council for not involving the public more in the process of planning the trail.

“We’re asking for that opportunity and we’re not getting it,” said former mayoral candidate Charles Kingeter.

In response, the City Council said the public could submit written comments to the city and attend a meeting on April 19 when the project will be awarded to an architect. In the meantime, some councilmembers suggested Patch readers sound off on the plan.

So how about it Patch readers? Can you take a look at the pictures attached to the story and comment on what you think the city should do?

Some things to consider:

1. Do you support a paved trail for students south of Highway 12?
2. Can you think of any safety concerns you might have?
3. What do you think the city should do on each end of the trail? Do you support an outdoor classroom?