Improvements to the Santa Fe River Trail - Jan 2017

The work looking west

Construction on the city's pedestrian underpass along the Acequia Trail has paused for the winter months (resuming in April). However, new improvements have begun on widening the portion of the Santa Fe River Trail along Alameda (east of St. Francis Dr) from sidewalk width (5ft) to pedestrian/bikeway specifications of approximately 10-12ft.

The improvements convert the existing sidewalk into a city trail that allows room for people and bikes passing in opposing directions. This section of the River Trail along Alameda will soon resemble an extension of the newer sections of trail west of St Francis Dr. that wind down past Alto Park and through to Frenchy's Field.

I'm uncertain if plans are to widen and improve all the walkway east to the DeFouri St Bridge? which has itself been scheduled for improvement for years now. One person I spoke with made mention that the trail alignment could cross the river via one of the footbridges and continue east on the south bank. We should see in a few months time.

Update: A recent article on this trail work ran in the SFNMexican this week - just four days after this post was published. One of our City Councilors (Lindell, Dist 1) was publicly complaining about tearing out a working sidewalk and replacing it with something new. Dan Chacon wrote the article, and included loads of detail on why the Councilor was misinformed on the source of funding (not city funds, but voter approved bond funds specifically for improvement of trail infrastructure. The dollars involved include matching federal funds that came in at near 1-to-1), as well as why the improvements were included in the city's approved Transportation and Bicycling Master Plan years ago. He also noted that Lindell literally voted to approve the work. Dan does great work and his attention to detail is admirable.

The new trail/bikeway looking east toward the mountains. 

Lone bicyclist shows the scale of old pathway

Related Posts:
 - Acequia Underpass Groundbreaking (Aug '16)
 - Santa Fe Trail Projects Update (Sep '16)
 - Trail Improvements Page

Santa Fe Trail-Building Projects Lurch Forward

Drilling equipment setting the bracing for the new underpass

Work on the Acequia Trail Underpass began in earnest this weekend. Equipment has been hauled to the site and orange barrels are in place for the start of weekday traffic. This is a major piece of our new urban trail/pedestrian/cycling infrastructure which will surely incite cries of commuter agony for the next six months followed by decades of value, appreciation, and laudatory expressions of foresight and vision from future generations of Santa Feans.

This project and other have been held up all year due to City budget deliberations despite segregated allocation of funds between park and trail bond receipts and the city's general fund. Don't get me going on this topic, point being the new work is rolling now since a lot of the scheduled projects have completed the required planning and public input stages, committee approval, bidding, etc.

Vital Consulting Group, Inc. begins mobilizing for the project. Work starts Sept. 25, 2016 and is expected to last through spring 2017. pic.twitter.com/px0vfcO2sj

— AcequiaUnderpass (@AcequiaUnderpas) September 22, 2016

Santa Fe Conservation Trust volunteers at work on the new footbridge
at Camino de las Animas

Smaller less visible projects that have been completed in the meantime include a new extension of the Acequia Trail at Harrison Rd and La Cieneguita St;  A new footbridge over the ditch at Camino de las Animas (useful connector east onto Agua Fria and Canyon Rds; old bridge was all peligroso); Engineering and trail work on the unofficial north/south footpath in the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve; and the new work on the far east end of the River Trail - replacing and installing sidewalk along Alameda up to Patrick Smith Park.

The new footpath extension at Santa Fe Canyon Preserve.
Not yet officially completed or opened to public use.

There has also been several additions of bike lanes on city and county roads including Old Santa Fe Trail south of St. John's College through to El Gancho Way; New lanes on Siringo Dr. from St Francis Dr. to Llano St.

Major projects and additions anticipated for 2017 include the Pen Rd section of the Rail Trail (thru to Alta Vista), and the 15mi El Camino Real Trail along Buckman Rd from the Rio Grande to Caja del Rio Rd west of town. This second project is being managed by BLM and the National Park Service thankfully, removed from dependence on the City and it's various governing committees.

New bike lane off Old Las
Vegas Highway

The Harrison Rd connector
near Rufina; Acequia Trail

Related Posts:
 - Acequia Trail Underpass Groundbreaking/Announcement (Aug '16)
 - Acequia Trail Underpass GreenLit (Aug '15)
 - Arroyo Chamisos Underpass (2012)

Acequia Trail Underpass GroundBreaking

After many months of delays the groundbreaking for the new bike and pedestrian tunnel linking the Railyard to the west Acequia Trail is set for this Wednesday, Aug 17th (Turns out it was a groundbreaking in name only - instead it was a formal announcement of groundbreaking planned for mid-September!). Construction is expected to take 6 months from beginning to end though some of this will be prep and landscape work rather than road closures.

Approximately 85% of the funding for this project source from a Federal Non-Motorized Transportation grant, the remainder from 2012 City Parks and Trails bonds. This won't keep un-informed and uninterested folks all over town from complaining about prioritizing spending. The project also spent many many years in planning, committees, and public meetings but this won't keep the same people from belly-aching about design or the need for an overpass or unrelated hang-ups, etcetera, etc., ad infinitum. Bottom line is that all of this new and sorely needed infrastructure is going to change the town for the better, tying together adjacent neighborhoods, increasing land values and incentivizing private investment, and increasing foot traffic for local businesses.

Acequia Trail Tunnel - Schematic drawings

A related project that will likely arrive on the heels of the new underpass is the re-work of the Rail Trail segment along Pen Rd and the Rail Runner Station between Cordova and Alta Vista. Trees will be added as will improved road crossings and safety medians. Planning is complete and funding has been allocated from previous bond sales. This whole area will be spruced up and looking fine.

Groundbreaking Celebration: Wednesday Aug 17th, 4pm

Related Posts:
 - Delays in Pending Trail Projects (2016)
 - Acequia Trail Underpass Scheduled for this Fall (2015)
 - Arroyo Chamisos Underpass Nears Completion (2012)

Delays in Pending Santa Fe Trail Projects

Several Santa Fe city trail projects that appeared to have been slated for work prior to year-end 2015 have yet to move forward. There's sadness and disappointment each time I'm running errands on the bike scanning for the expected orange barrels and flags. These things are complex but with planning complete and funding in-hand the recent delays are difficult to explain. Pending projects include the Acequia Trail Underpass, the Pen Road connector, Dale Ball connector at the SF Canyon Preserve, various signage, etc.

My working theory on the stalled work is that the city's current financial problems are creating a freeze, and this affects the planned projects even though funds for trail construction source from bond money rather than city operating funds and shouldn't be affected by the coming budget cuts. The full reason is likely some combination of staffing uncertainty and a defensive political posture from the Council who would ultimately approve the ground-breaking on these projects.

A review of the Jan. minutes from the Bicycles and Trails Advisory Committee (BTAC) shows little if any discussion on the anticipated projects and no indication of construction planning. The next BTAC meeting is tomorrow evening (Wed 2/17), 530pm at City Hall. Should you ever have the itch to show up and discuss a trail topic know that public comments are welcome and are generally the third item on the evening's agenda after roll-call and approval of minutes.


Related Posts:
 - Acequia Trail Underpass Scheduled this Fall (Sep 2015)
 - Trail Improvement Page
 - Arroyo Chamiso Underpass Nears Completion (Jun 2012)
 - Santa Fe Rail Trail Improvements (Sep 2015)

Acequia Trail Underpass Scheduled this Fall

Artist's rendering of the new underpass. Much larger than the Zia Rd crossing.

The final public meeting for the Acequia Trail Underpass was held last night. Groundbreaking for the project is expected in as soon as 6-8 weeks. Construction of the entire project is expected to take approx. 9 months, with a focus on completing the tunnel and disrupting traffic on St. Francis much quicker than this. Unlike many Santa Fe developments, this is a project that directly benefits those that live here. It bears remembering that the construction of St Francis Drive back in the 60's divided neighborhoods and projects of this sort begin to bind them together once again.

The meeting was an open house that drew the regular crew of cyclists, urban planners, and grumpy neighbors to discuss the project with the designer and city park and trails managers. Part of the project design was completed by local landscape architect Solange Serquis whom entertained my many questions. I was especially fond of her use of trees and rock work to lighten up what has always been a sad and dusty intersection. Unusually, several city councilors were in attendance (Bushee, Lindell, possibly Rivera) though I didn't get a minute to chat. Wasn't certain if they were there to be seen as part of such a large non-motorized infrastructure project or perhaps to get a feel for the public mood of such an undertaking.

Cross section view of traffic overhead, the underpass, and east/west entrances

This major piece of the city's urban trail network has been in planning for at least seven years if not longer. Dozens of public meetings led to this point. Big discussions three years back focused on whether the transportation link should be an overpass or underpass, with many elected officials advocating for a more visible, possibly iconic overpass at the city's busiest intersection. The majority of trail users backed the practicality and ease of use of an underpass (a no-brainer in my opinion). The two valid criticisms of the project at this time were user safety (minimized with several lighting and design elements), and the price tag. Cost estimates were large enough that the underpass was designated a non-priority project in the city's transportation plan with maybe an 8-12 year time horizon. This was until a $3.8m federal grant came through last fall and suddenly the largest and most visible non-motorized transportation project in the city's plans was green-lit. The incoming federal dollars equate to $7 in matching funds for each $1 of invested city funding for this project. Or when compared with the $15m in city voter approved trail bonds since 2008, this sum equals a direct return on public trails infrastructure investment of 25%. This is a straight up coup, and whomever wrote up that grant application deserves free drinks and several million hi-fives.

The overview drawings. Railyard Park at right. 

Well then, exciting times and lots to think about. Will the project be complete for next year's May Bike-and-Brew event? Unlikely I suppose. Will complaints from the pending construction traffic be loud and bellicose? Undoubtedly, but this would surely be the case for any road construction anywhere in town for any reason. In return for a few months of traffic cones the planned improvements will be of use for generations of Santa Feans. Will this project lead to more private investment and revitalization in nearby neighborhoods and/or along the nearby St. Francis and Cerrillos corridors? I'd assume yes. How soon until an underpass is feasible along the Santa Fe River Trail at Alameda? I'd guess it's a ways out unless another generous federal grant were to come along to grease the skids.

Update: Trail project delays run into Spring of '16

Related Posts:
 - Acequia Trail Underpass Funding (2014)
 - Arroyo Chamiso Underpass (2012)
 - Area Trail Improvements Page
 - Improvements to the Santa Fe Urban Trail System (2012)



View Acequia Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map

Acequia Trail Underpass - Queued Up

Last week's Santa Fe Reporter was the bike issue. Terrific read. Everything bikes and trails and bike shops. Lotta great stuff including a piece about the west section of the Railyard and its old derelict caboose, (a personal favorite of mine). Embedded in the article was mention of $3.8 million in Federal transportation funding that very recently became available for construction of the often discussed Acequia Trail Underpass connecting the Railyard to the Baca Street District.

This was the first I'd seen or heard of this new money. After a quick search I found a Julie Ann Grimm piece, also in the Reporter, confirming the new funding. It means that ground breaking on the new underpass/trail connector is a go, possibly in the spring or summer of next year. Planning and designs for the project have long been in place and the public comment process was completed this spring (underpass preferred to overpass). The remaining hold-up was funding, or rather, a priority mis-match in spending this great sum for the benefit of a critical yet relatively low-demand section of the trail network. The city will need to come up with $500,000 to cover remaining project costs, and this funding happens to be immediately available due to a June City Council decision to defer construction on the Alameda Underpass (Santa Fe River Trail) and instead re-allocate the $1.9 million in bond funds for that project across several smaller projects.

Coincidentally, one recipient project of the re-allocated funding will be the western-most terminus of the Acequia Trail, the connector that will feed into the Santa Fe River Trail from South Meadows Rd to ~San Felipe Rd and Agua Fria. This portion of the River Trail is an orphan section built-out last year with available federal funds targeted for The Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. This western end of the River Trail falls within the National Parks Service alignment of the historic Camino Real, and the federal dollars became available before the County could work on the surrounding parts of the trail network. An additional recipient project of the new funding will be the planned spur from the Camino Real section to the soccer fields at the Municipal Rec Complex along Caja del Rio Rd. The tunnel under NM 599 is already there, built along with the road. I've been through it but it's literally choked under several feet of tumble weeds. I imagine this new money will be used to clear out the weeds and chamisas along the trail itself, and add a few signs so you know where the hell you're at and where you're going.

Conceptual designs of the new underpass - from above and at path level.

Related Posts:

 - Multi Use Trails Update (2014)
 - Arroyo Chamiso Underpass (2012)

 - Trail Work - Arroyo Chamiso Trail (2014)

 - The Santa Fe Urban Trails System

View Acequia Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map

Santa Fe Multi-Use Trails Update

Santa Fe Rail Trail at the Railyard Plaza

As published in yesterday’s Santa Fe New Mexican, the City Public Works Committee voted to recommend to the City Council that the proposed bike/pedestrian underpass at Alameda and St Francis be shelved in favor of re-allocating the roughly $2 million in bond funds for an assortment of other improvements to the trails system.

All of these various additions are queued up in the current Santa Fe Metro Bicycle Master Plan (yes, some of us do actually read these things). As an avid trail user, old and new, this shift in spending priorities looks to be a very favorable exchange. The following are the projects under current discussion to be funded by the new allocations - UPDATED, with Sept 23 projects officially approved by City Council:

1) $300,000 $100,000 for at grade improvements at Alameda/St Francis (in place of the underpass)

2) Canada Rincon multi-use Trail. connecting the neighborhoods near Zocalo to Calle Mejia (better access to Gonzales Community School) .32miles/ $132,000 $200,000

3) Arroyo En Medio Trail. connecting Gail Ryba Trail at Zia Rd. to Sawmill Rd. .25miles/ $200,000 (access for Capshaw Middle School, Little Earth School and SF Girls' School)

3) Municipal Rec Complex Trail, connector from the Santa Fe River Trail to the
culvert underpass at NM 599. Will ultimately extend to MRC, $150,000

4) Arroyo Mascaras Trail. connecting the Mascaras to west San Francisco St. / $150,000

5) Tierra Contenta Trail (n. Arroyo Chamiso Trl). connecting Buffalo Grass to South Meadows. .38miles/ $300,000 (safe routes to school access for Sweeney, Ortiz and others)

6) Acequia Trail at Otowi Drive .10miles/ $80,000

7) Acequia Trail at S. Meadows/Rufina to SF River Trail(end of Agua Fria) 1.0mile $660,000 $113,800

8) Infrastructure improvements: City way-finding, $30,000 and Safety infrastructure (focusing on dangerous railroad crossings), $10,000

9) Acequia Trail Underpass (with $3.8 million sourced from the Federal Dept of Transportation), $556,200 local matching funds

10) Bike lanes and road widening on Old Santa Fe Trail, from E. Zia to Sun Mtn Rd (in conjunction with new lanes and road widening on the County portion of Old Santa Fe Trail up to El Gancho Way), $200,000

A thank you goes out to Stephen Newhall for relaying these project details. Thanks Stephen!

Update: Take two minutes of your time to fire off an email to your City Councilors (two for each district) and cc: Councilor Bushee (who chairs the city Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee [BTAC]). Let them know you're a trail user, that you vote, and what your stance is on the city's trails network. My email referenced the above along with an emphasis on - MORE TRLS PLZ. 

Related Posts:

 - Acequia Trail Underpass - All Queued Up (2014)
 - The Santa Fe Urban Trails System
 - Arroyo Chamiso Underpass (2012)

 - Trail Work - Arroyo Chamiso Trail (2014)

View Acequia Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map

Trail Work - Arroyo Chamiso Trail

Arroyo Chamiso at Camino Carlos Rey (May 6, 2014)

Took the little one out for a run recently, cruising the Arroyo Chamiso trail since it's flat and right out the back door. In a stroke of irony, the paved trail I never run on because there's a perfectly runnable arroyo 30ft to the south, suddenly became unpaved. It seems the oldest trail in Santa Fe's urban trail system (1994) was scheduled for repair and re-paving.

I've noticed several other ongoing projects including erosion control at Arroyo Chamiso and Gail Ryba (at the underpass), erosion control on the Rail Trail at the county line (I-25 underpass), and the improvements at the La Tierra underpass to Ortiz Park.

I know a new bike lane is scheduled to be added to Old Santa Fe Trail soon (El Gancho Way to Zia Rd), and the missing stretch of the Arroyo Chamiso at Cerrillos Rd will be added soon along with the new business and residential developments going in there. There's also ongoing planning and design work on a proposed new alignment for the Arroyo Hondo Trail south of town (NM 14 to Richards Rd) which will eventually close a loop with Arroyo Chamiso and the Rail Trail. Good stuff.

Brand new trail - Arroyo Chamiso (May 25)

Related Posts:
 - Arroyo Chamisos Bike Trail Underpass (2012)
 - Trail Improvements on Winsor and Galisteo Basin (2013)
 - Santa Fe Rail Trail Re-Imagined


View Arroyo Chamiso Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map

My Man's First Foray Into Cycling

Pistol Pete celebrated his first birthday earlier this month and one of his many gifts was a new bike helmet from mom and dad. Another was a sharp new bike-seat to cruise the bike paths and run errands with his father without the car or the jogging stroller. The seat clips on and off my different bikes. I can speak into his ear and point out dogs as we ride along, and I can hear him argle-bargle baby babble and ooh-and-aahhh as we pick up speed on the downhills. So awesome.

And now for some shameless pics of a ridiculously cute baby cyclist:

Peede and Dad rockin' the Acequia Trail

The helmet is an XS Giro model that we picked up at REI. The bike seat is an iBert safe-T seat, made and designed right here in the mountain west - Cody, WY.


View Acequia Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map

On the Other Side of the Lens - Cycling in Santa Fe

One day after posting a series of time-lapse photos of the Arroyo Chamisos Trail Underpass, the new bikeway was opened to the public. One week later I was caught on film by a Journal photographer as I was passing through the tunnel during the lunch hour. Showed up on the front page of the Journal North the very next day (Fri. June 29^th). A bit of an odd karmic circle in some ways.

Great image of the new underpass - plus myself. Reliefs on the wall mimic a flowing river. The east entrance in the distance, the receding light fixtures frame perspective, and me-plus-bike illuminated by the skylight at mid-tunnel.  
photo by: Eddie Moore for the Abq Journal

My mom saw this photo while reading the paper and was alarmed that I bike in my work clothes. She was very relieved however that I bike with my helmet. After hearing this from her I'm fairly certain that she doesn't frequent anything I post on this blog which is probably a good thing.

View Gail Ryba Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map

Arroyo Chamisos Bike Trail Underpass Nears Completion

Under construction since last August, the long awaited St. Francis Dr. bike trail underpass is just about finished. The new underpass connects the Arroyo Chamisos Trail to the city's eastside and the newly built stretch of city trail that routes to the hospital - the Gail Ryba Trail. I pass this way just about everyday and have been snapping semi-regular photos of the progress. So here they are, lined up in sequence.

Time lapse - construction of an underpass:

The Arroyo Chamisos Underpass

First half complete, second half dug out

Steelworker guys photo-bombing my shot at 7am

The art relief panels - Foam molds are set in place before the concrete pour for the wall.

As of Wed. 6/20, almost there. I think they're waiting for the official opening/dedication before removing the fencing. The graffiti taggers are as anxious to use the tunnel as the bicyclists and runners.

My one complaint with the tunnel work had been the lack of obvious drainage. No drains, no grates, nothing. The tunnel will fill with water (or ice) at the first rain or snow! It will be unusable several months of the year! Aaah, but just yesterday I recognized the solution. The entire tunnel is built as drainage - the floor of the tunnel itself drops at a barely perceptible slope allowing water collecting on the east trail surfaces to flow through and out at the west entrance. That there is some mastery in engineering. Bravo sirs, bravo.

Besides bypassing the mess of traffic on St. Francis, the impetus for the trail was to add a transportation connection from the Rail Runner train stop at Zia and St. Francis to the hospital, the city's largest employer apparently. The new underpass is the first of its kind in Santa Fe. A culvert passing under Rodeo Rd was retro-fitted two years ago to extend the Arroyo Chamisos Trail west toward Cerrillos. A similar culvert retro-fit is planned for the Santa Fe River Trail at St. Francis and Alameda, and another culvert underpass exists out in Santa Fe County at NM 599 and Caja del Rio Rd, providing access to the soccer fields out that way.

I should note that Albuquerque's spectacular new pedestrian and bike bridge spanning the Rio Grande along Interstate-40 is also named in honor of Gail Ryba. Gail was almost single-handedly responsible for setting up New Mexico municipal bikeways and the relevant government committees and budgeting processes in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. A not-so-small debt of gratitude due to Ms. Ryba.

Gail Ryba Bike & Pedestrian Bridge - Albuquerque, NM, 2010

Related Links
 - Santa Fe Area Trails and Maps



View Gail Ryba Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map

The Santa Fe River Trail

Santa Fe River Trail - Alameda & St. Francis

What's old is new again. Last fall saw some serious rehabilitation of the Santa Fe River west of Camino Alire and Bicentennial Park. The city was constructing a couple new miles of the Santa Fe River Trail, one of five main alignments in the city's new urban trail system. The work included completing the trail section between Camino Alire and Frenchy's Field (along Agua Fria). An existing but intermittent dirt footpath was graded, widened, paved, benches and trailheads were put in, a bridge was installed, and the river bed itself was cleared, re-channeled, and armored in places against erosion. Toward the end of last year I steered a few of my runs through here to monitor progress and there were still major pieces awaiting completion.

Ah, but I trekked down there again this last weekend because of the city's annual water release from the reservoir - part of the 'living river' ordinance put in place last year. It's a wonderful thing to run or ride, or just generally pass the time along a flowing waterway. Particularly so for the Santa Fe River in which one seldom sees a flowing current. To my surprise, the new section of trail was complete - and there were all kinds of folks walking and running and riding along, enjoying the day. There were half-naked kids playing in the water, making excited kid noises, floating makeshift boats and engineering sand-and-cobble dams. And quite amazingly, there were hundreds, maybe a few thousand planted saplings all throughout the sandy new riverbed from Camino Alire to Frenchy's field. I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. It must've taken dozens of people and hundreds of hours to have completed that work. It looked fantastic.

The underpass at Camino Alire

One of the many new pools, with current, sunbathing stones, and saplings of willow and cottonwood

Willow saplings along the rehabilitated riverbed

Looking south along the river. The new trail sits on the upper left

(A crumby image) looking north from the pedestrian bridge. Water, the Sangres, and a soon to be forest of saplings

I wondered to myself how long it had been since the Santa Fe River had looked this grand. Fifty years? Sixty? Since the public works projects of the 30's? It's never resembled anything close to this in my lifetime and I'm closing in on forty.

Footpath along the river, a few blocks north of Canyon Rd

The River Trail now stretches unbroken from Frenchy's Field to Delgado St east of downtown Santa Fe. One can navigate the rest of the way to Patrick Smith Park by sidewalk or by an un-maintained footpath along the riverway. The adventurous can wander further up the Access issues along privately maintained Camino Pequeno now require hikers/runners/bikers seeking to wander the little known Santa Fe River Preserve to seek public access from either Upper Canyon or Cerro Gordo (more below). On the western terminus, the county has completed a small stretch of the trail through Agua Fria Village and Camino Real Park, with plans to connect east to the newly completed city section, and eventually westto the Polo Grounds near the Santa Fe Airport.

Trail Update (7/3/14):  I have received notice of repeated trail conflicts on the Camino Pequeno lead-in to the SF River Preserve, and have been asked to clarify the trail through here. Residents tell me that the road itself and adjacent property are not a public thruway. It's unknown if there may be a public easement along the river itself, however, there is currently no formal trail alignment through here. These seem like good people that are increasingly frustrated about this problem. Please respect these folks' privacy and access the Preserve via Upper Canyon and/or Cerro Gordo.

I am a resident of Camino Pequeno - The road is a private way (clearly posted) and was not designed for public access. We wouldn't mind people enjoying the river, if they stayed along side it or traversed the other side, but people have started cutting through yards and congregating on the road which is both invasive to our privacy and in some cases has resulted in destruction of property. Having cyclists fly down it is not only hazardous in such a confined area, but it destroys the serenity for residents...Both Cerro Gordo and Upper Canyon Road have legal [public] places to park and provide open-access routes through the city easements and arroyos to the trails along the river. Thank you for being alert to the issue! I and the other residents appreciate it! Best Regards, D.B.

Related Posts:
- Moon Mountain Trail
- Apache Canyon Trail Loop
- Acequia Trail Underpass - All Queued Up



View Santa Fe River Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map

Improvements to the Santa Fe Urban Trails System

The start (or ending point) of the Santa Fe Rail Trail at the Railyard Plaza

Santa Fe voters recently approved a second parks-and-trails bond measure to fund continued improvements to the city's growing urban trails system.

The system includes three main east-west alignments - the Santa Fe River Trail, the Acequia Trail, and the Arroyo Chamiso Trail - and the north-south alignment of the Santa Fe Rail Trail which intersects the other three.

The three east-west corridors will remain in progress for several years with planned extensions all the way out to NM 599 with connections north to the city soccer field complex in the Caja del Rio, and south to NM 14.

Trail descriptions and maps of these trail corridors are as follows:
      - Arroyo Chamisos Trail
      - Santa Fe Rail Trail
      - Santa Fe River Trail
      - The Acequia Trail, and

The new system is in addition to the area's hiking and biking recreation trails which include the Dale Ball Trails, the Winsor Trail System, La Tierra Trails, Arroyo Hondo, and the Galisteo Basin.

A total of $6 million from the most recent bond sale will be allocated for priority urban trail projects over the next few years. This new capital follows an initial $9 million in funding approved by voters in 2008, both specifically allocated to city trails and road-sharing projects.

Arroyo Chamisos Trail

Funds were used to acquire the necessary easements and build out trail extensions for the Santa Fe River Trail and the new Acequia Trail west of St Francis Dr, as well as extend the Arroyo Chamisos Trail west to the Santa Fe Place Mall (via a new underpass at Rodeo Rd), and now east with access to the Gail Ryba Trail and Christus St. Vincent Hospital (via an underpass at St Francis Dr). The 2008 investment was nicely complemented by state and federal funding for the Santa Fe Rail Trail in conjunction with the construction of the New Mexico Rail Runner Commuter Train.

Santa Fe County Rail Trail

The end result of this flurry of planning and investment is a new framework of paved multi-use trails within city limits. Beginning with the first few miles of the Arroyo Chamisos Trail in 1997, the system now includes four main trails anchored by the 17mi Rail Trail which connects them all. Really, really good stuff.

The Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization (SFMPO) has mapped out priority lists for planned trail extensions, improvements, and bike-share corridors which include shoulder widening along some streets and lane striping. Of the new $6 million in funding, priority trail work will include the following:

1. $2M for a planned underpass of the Santa Fe River Trail at Alameda and St Francis Drive. This is a key link along the River Trail that's really going to tie together the stretch of new trail to the west of St Francis (extending to Frenchy's Field at Osage and Agua Fria), to the older section that passes through downtown up as far as Delgado St. Updated Here: 

The Santa Fe Acequia Trail

2. Completion of sections of the Rail Trail between St Francis Dr. and Alta Vista, along Pen Rd. and along the South Capitol Rail Runner Station.

3. Extensions and improvements to the Acequia Trail which now stretches behind the New Mexico School for the Deaf (west of the Santa Fe Railyard) to Baca Rd and a trailhead island at Ashbaugh Park that currently goes nowhere. Planned improvements will extend the trail through Ashbaugh Park and Osage Ave. to Harrison Rd near the county boundary.

4. Extension of the Gail Ryba Trail along St Francis Dr (which will soon be connected to the Rail Trail and Arroyo Chamisos Trail via underpass), east to Botulph Rd and East Zia Rd.

5. Construction of another mile extension to the W. Arroyo Chamiso trail section as it slowly edges its way toward Cerrillos Rd and an eventual linkup with the larger E. Arroyo Chamisos Trail section.

The Santa Fe Rail Trail

6. Construction of a new multi-use trail along the Arroyo en Medio/Arroyo Chapparal in south Santa Fe, connecting Ragle Park to the New Mexico Rail Runner station at Zia Rd, as-well-as to the intersection of the Rail Trail, Arroyo Chamisos Trail, and Gail Ryba Trails. I don't know whether to be happy or sad about this one since the dirt footpath that runs through this open space now is where I begin most of my runs. I'll be just another victim of progress it seems, albeit super-rad progress.

7. Construction of the proposed Sarah Williams Trail along the Canada Ancha and lower Hyde Park Rd, connecting the Dale Ball Trails at Sierra del Norte to Gonzales Rd, and a eventual connection to the planned (now completed) Gonzales Rd Pedestrian Trail stretching down to Alameda St. and the Santa Fe River Trail.

8. Additional and improved bike lane striping on city streets, including the widening of shoulders in some locations. If you do a lot of commuting and getting around by bike - like myself and a growing group of other bikeys around town - this is important work that will get its fair share of use. 
9. 
   

 - Further details of the bond funded trail improvements can be found at the Trail Improvements Tab (above).
 - Additional info here at the City of Santa Fe website
 - A bit about the new St. Francis underpass and Gail Ryba Trail extension from  the Santa Fe New Mexican.
 - A bit about the new connector trail to Museum Hill and the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens from the Santa Fe New Mexican (left).



Related Posts:
 - Multi Use Trails Update (2014)
 - Arroyo Chamiso Underpass
 - Acequia Trail Underpass




View Acequia Trail - Santa Fe, NM in a larger map