In the coming years, Ridgefield will greatly enhance its non-motorized transportation capabilities with three trail projects that will better connect residents to parks and schools.
Mayor’s Meadow multi-use trail
Ridgefield is considering a new multi-use trail for pedestrians and cyclists to connect Mayor’s Meadow, located south of Abrams Park, to an existing path at North Reiman Road. This connection will effectively link Abrams Park to eastern residential neighborhoods in Ridgefield. Abrams Park, through Gee Creek Trail, is already connected to the city’s downtown. Once complete, the trail will connect downtown to eastern neighborhoods closer to the freeway. City Parks Manager Corey Crownhart noted that the future path aligns with the city’s goals for improving walkable access.
“Ridgefield’s topography is one of the biggest definitions of our community, and also one of our biggest impediments to connecting our community together,” Crownhart said. “How we navigate that is really important for us.”
The project is currently in its design and permitting phase, with no current timeline. The final trail will be paved along Pioneer Street, a 40 mph road south of Mayor’s Meadow. Crownhart stated that the city is considering a design that places the trail on the south side of Pioneer. This plan would require two crosswalks on Pioneer, connecting the new trail to the Mayor’s Meadow trail and the North Reiman Road path. While the city may need to lower the speed limit, this design would effectively connect the trail to the Gee Creek Loop neighborhood south of Mayor’s Meadow. The trail would not be directly connected to Pioneer Road like a sidewalk.
Gee Creek Trail — north segment
The Gee Creek Trail spans several miles through the center of Ridgefield, passing through Abrams Park and connecting residents from Heron Drive, northeast of downtown, to the Osprey Point neighborhood in south Ridgefield. The city aims to extend Gee Creek Trail further north, alongside the nearby creek, to Main Avenue downtown. This extension would provide a direct route to the downtown and access to the wildlife refuge east of downtown, a long-term goal for Ridgefield.
“So one of our biggest neighbors we have in our community, and one of our biggest assets in Ridgefield is the wildlife refuge. So finding an opportunity to help connect in our trail system into systems and services that already exist in the refuge is one of our key objectives,” Crownhart said.
The trail will be designed this year, with trail construction expected in 2025-26. Before finalizing the design, the city will conduct public outreach to neighbors adjacent to the trail.
“The chief responsibility we have at this point is working with the locals of that area. Their [input is] paramount in our development space,” Crownhart said.
Hillhurst multi-modal trail
In 2022, Ridgefield’s City Council approved the design of a trail to provide pedestrian access along the north side of South Hillhurst Road, directly connecting to the Ridgefield High School campus. This trail, stretching from the front of the school to Sevier Road, will allow safer access for walkers and bikers from neighboring residential areas.
“The idea [is] to create more accessibility for individuals and students with disabilities to get to school safely, but also help connect residents from those growing communities to other parts of our community,” Crownhart said.
The design includes crosswalks at the 22nd and 29th circles, connecting the trail through the two roads. City staff are seeking state and federal funding to complete the project, with construction anticipated to begin in late 2024.
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