Placer pairs with Truckee to seek federal funding for regional trail system

Published on April 24, 2017

Working together on a regional goal, Placer County and the town of Truckee are hoping to secure funding to build two sections of the Resort Triangle Trail Network, continuing an effort to connect Placer’s Tahoe communities and resorts with Truckee by a world-class trail system.  

The Placer County Board of Supervisors today unanimously gave the OK for the county to apply for the funding.

“I’m just delighted that we continue to move forward on creating the connectivity on these recreation paths along the resort triangle,” said Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery, whose district includes these Placer County trail sections. “The trail that we’re going to be partnering on with the town of Truckee will ultimately end up in Reno.”

Truckee and Placer County are jointly submitting a funding application to the California Federal Lands Access Program for money to build the two multiple-use, paved trail segments that will eventually link North Lake Tahoe with Truckee. Now about halfway completed, the system will eventually be a continuous 62-miles of trails running from Truckee to Northstar, then to Kings Beach. From there the trail will continue to Tahoe City before returning to Truckee along the state Route 89 corridor.

Placer County has partnered with Truckee for a coordinated application that increases the chances of obtaining the funding. The proposed trail segments meet federal funding requirements by enhancing public access to federal lands and providing an economic driver for the region.

Placer County’s trail segment will be the continuation of Truckee's Legacy Trail from the county line west to the intersection of West River Street and state Route 89. This section of trail will include a bridge to cross the Truckee River and possibly a trailhead parking area at the intersection. The Truckee portion will run from the county line east to Brockway Road near the intersection with Palisades Drive. An analysis of the trail forecasts high use for both recreation and alternative transportation.

The estimated cost for both the Placer County and Truckee trail sections is $4.75 million. The county and the town would each need to provide an 11.5 percent match to the federal funding for their respective trail sections. For Placer County, that will be about $545,000.