POCATELLO — The Portneuf Greenway Foundation is currently working on three major projects to help Pocatello develop more trails for hikers, bikers and anyone else who wants to enjoy the outdoors.
One of those projects is the Brennan Pedestrian Bridge project, for which the Greenway is looking to get a grant to help build a pedestrian bridge connecting the Brennan and Sacagawea trails.
The second project the Greenway is working on is the Monta Vista trail project, which will involved connecting the Bannock County Event center area to the Pocatello Creek Road, Monta Vista and hospital trails. The Greenway expects this project to be done within the next year.
The third project is the Connecting Communities Trail project, which would connect the Bannock County Event Center area and throughout Pocatello and almost out to Inkom.
According to Pocatello Greenway Foundation board member Amber Alder, pedestrian, bike and hiking trails will stretch almost 30-plus miles.
"The grand vision would be to have 32 miles of connected trail from one end of the city to the other," she said. "Where you can start in traffic and end up south of town."
According to the Greenway's Vice President Renae Johnson, all three of these projects are on course to help the Greenway achieve its long term goal.
"The big picture is mostly getting Chubbuck with both sides going all the way down to the south of town connected so that you can continuously go from Chubbuck all the way down to Inkom," she said.
The Greenway Foundation has existed since 1992 and has made several big projects in the Pocatello area. Its mission is to give the community more places to enjoy activities and build a strong community resource throughout the city of Pocatello and its surrounding areas.
President Dan Harrelson and the board of the Greenway look to achieve their mission and goal in the next few years. However, as a nonprofit organization, they have run into several problems throughout the years, including property rights, according to Johnson.
"Trying to connect many of our trails along the river there are a lot of those areas that are private property," she said. "So being able to get permissions to either build on private property or get easements can be challenging."
Another huge challenge for Greenway include funding. The Greenway does not take tax dollars, so they have to reach out and get private funding and donations. To Alder, this is one of the biggest challenges the Greenway has.
"The challenge I think we face is finding funds because we need the Idaho Central Credit Union's of the world to help us contribute to these projects," Alder said.
The Greenway Foundation has grown over time, but its message and goal remain the same. With the help of funding, construction and the community, the Greenway will meet its goals and make the trails of Pocatello and the surrounding areas more accessible to the community.
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