The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON--The “Blue Mountain Region Trails – Ridges, Towns, and Rivers” plan has just been given a boost through an award made by the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program, for technical expertise and support.

Inspired by the Community Council of Walla Walla’s 2015 study on enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities, and by citizen input, local planners met in April and May to determine interest by key stakeholders and partners, and to identify a regional planning project, according to Mary Campbell, Director of the Community Council.

Over the ensuing months, the cities of College Place, Dayton, Milton-Freewater, Waitsburg, and Walla Walla joined forces with Columbia, Umatilla, and Walla Walla counties, the county health departments, the Ports of Walla Walla and Columbia, the Walla Walla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization, and the Community Council of Walla Walla to kick off the development of a “Ridges, Towns and Rivers” trails plan, that will span all local jurisdictions, Campbell said.

The NPS will help prepare a blueprint for a seamless network of bicycle, pedestrian, and non-motorized connections that combine walking and cycling commutes, recreation travel, and hiking, cycling and horseback trails to the many cultural, historical and natural treasures the Blue Mountain Region has to offer.

Campbell said that the BMRT-RTR plan will help with adoption of sidewalk, bike route, and trail recommendations into local comprehensive plans for transportation and recreation elements, and will help tap into federal and state grant funding.

City of Dayton Planning Director Karen Scharer said the City of Dayton, Columbia County, and the Port of Columbia have adopted a Cooperative Master Plan that will help facilitate, update and/or implement plans, goals and policies, and provide a framework for the development, maintenance, and promotion of parks and recreational amenities in Columbia County.

“The current city comprehensive plan speaks about having a bike trail from Dayton to Waitsburg,” Scharer said.

“This allows us to go quickly for funding through the Recreation and Conservation Office, Scharer said about the BMRT-RTR grant. “It’s kind of like first steps.”

“It’s exciting,” said Brad McMasters speaking at the regular November meeting of the Port of Columbia County. McMasters , who is the Economic Development Coordinator for the Port, is one of the key players in bringing the grant about.

“Not only will we be working on planning, in integrating our trails, and independent projects, but we will have planning resources, financial, as well as professional, in our own county, for our aspirations and efforts,” McMasters said.

“At last year’s CEDS planning meeting, our community voted for the top three priorities, in this order: school system, bike path from Dayton to Waitsburg, and the health system. I think it probably says a lot that when we are looking at something like a bike path, we are confident in our economy,” he added.

The value of the NPS award should not be understated, said Andrea Weckmueller-Behringer with the Walla Walla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization/Sub-Regional Transportation Planning Organization.

If the WWVMPO/SRTPO had to hire a consultant and factor in staff time, the final product would have a value of $110,000 to $140,000 for the agency,” Weckmueller-Behringer said.

The value would be even higher when factoring in the time and effort expended by staff of member entities, she said.

The public will be able to view maps and information on existing infrastructure, and provide input on additional destinations and connectivity, when the first round of community outreach begins in January, according to Campbell.