POCATELLO — Bikers, skateboarders, rollerbladers and any other outdoor enthusiasts in just a few weeks will have a new section of the Portneuf Greenway to enjoy.
The Portneuf Greenway Foundation announced Tuesday that the next major part of the greenway trail system generally known as the Interstate 15 corridor project is under construction and should be complete by the first of September.
“We have been working with our partners in the community for several years to pull this project together,” said Dan Harelson, the projects manager for the Portneuf Greenway Foundation. “It’s very gratifying to see the equipment here on site building this major extension of the Greenway along I-15."
Harelson said it's the first step in creating trail that will connect the Highland Area and the Wellness Complex south to Idaho State University and the Edson Fichter Nature Area.
The I-15 corridor project involves taking the existing Marshal-Racine section of the Portneuf Greenway and extending it south for almost a mile from the Monte Vista Overpass, which runs parallel to I-15, up to the Farm Bureau Insurance building.
In addition, Farm Bureau Insurance will also pave a section of trail on their property to provide a complete route from Monte Vista to Tierra Drive and then on to Center Street.
This paved multi-use non-motorized trail will be 10 feet wide and is being constructed by the DL Beck Company. It will also be built in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Rory Erchul, president of the Portneuf Greenway Foundation, said “Our community supporters have been key to making this trail system a reality and I would especially like to thank Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance for their support.”
“The Greenway would not have received the grant funding needed to build this important route if Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance had not opened their employee trail to the public and allowed the Greenway to connect with it,” Erchul said. “I feel proud to live in a community where we can work together to make Pocatello an even better place to live and work.”
Erchul said the city of Pocatello sponsored the project by coordinating the construction bids and the Marshall and Racine families granted easements across their property for the trail.
“The city has been a tremendous partner over the years,” Erchul said.
In addition to grants from the Idaho Department of Transportation and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, the I-15 corridor project had numerous community members contribute matching funds to the Portneuf Greenway Foundation.
Erchul said various donors include the Ifft Foundation, Keller Engineering, Idaho Community Bank, Idaho Central Credit Union, Farm Bureau Insurance, Paul Link and several others who wished to remain anonymous.
“Right now we have about 15 miles of paved greenway trail in Pocatello,” Erchul said. “Our capital investment plan has roughly 27 miles in it and this I-15 corridor project should be about four or five miles.”
Erchul continued, “This one-mile section should be done by September, but we would like to see the entire corridor completed by 2022.”
The Greenway Foundation has recently engaged Chubbuck officials in conversations about future expansion of the trail system further north, Erchul added.
In addition to being a fun outdoors activity for the whole family, Erchul said that a successful greenway trail system provides people with an alternative means for transportation and is also an economic driver for the area.
“Thousands of communities from Idaho Falls and Boise to Austin in Texas or Oklahoma City in Oklahoma have greenway trail systems,” Erchul said. “And every single person that I have spoke with said they love what the trail system does for their city. Why should Pocatello be any different?”
In addition to the construction of the I-15 corridor greenway section, Erchul said the foundation is gearing up for one of its two annual fundraisers. Those who would like to support the Portneuf Greenway Foundation and its future endeavors are invited to Riverfest at Lower Ross Park on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m.
A typical outdoor festival with music in the park, Riverfest is hosted in conjunction with Zoo Idaho’s Ice Cream Zoofari at the zoo earlier in the day from 12 to 4 p.m.
