The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-Last week, the conference room at the Best Western Hotel in Dayton was packed, for the first of a series of public workshops hosted by the Blue Mountain Regional Trails – Ridges, Towns, and Rivers organization.

Work is underway to establish a non-motorized trails plan for walking, biking, hiking, and horseback riding, that would include all of Columbia and Walla Walla counties, and northeast Umatilla County.

Representatives from the City of Dayton and Columbia County Planning Departments, the Port of Columbia, Washington State Parks, Columbia County Health System, Columbia County Health Department, and many other stakeholders in the local area were on hand to help facilitate the meeting.

Tables were set up with large region-wide maps for members of the public to identify places where they would like to see trails developed, improved, added on to or connected, and for them to leave general comments.

Dan Miller, project leader from the National Park Service, Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance program, said his agency is providing technical planning expertise and support for the project.

"It's a fairly big deal. Not only the scale, but because of all the partners in the room, talking and working together," Miller said. "All the groundwork is laid out for a successful planning effort. The one thing that is missing is not the technical tools. What's missing it is your input. It is essential that you all spend the time looking at the maps, and giving us your input."

The BMRT-RTR recently received the non- monetary award from the National Park Service for its support. Miller said the plan needs to be in place before going out for funding.

The goal for creating a trail plan is not only to establish better connections within communities and regionally, but to offer enhanced outdoor recreation for health and economic benefits, according to the project's organizers.

Dayton residents Duane and Suzi Tasker agreed that establishing a trails plan for the region is a good idea.

"We've been thinking about this a long time," said Duane Tasker. "We were exposed to the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, from the border of Montana to Coeur d'Alene."

The Taskers have lived in Dayton for five years, but feel they are clueless about where to go hiking, so a trail system appeals to them. They would like to see more outdoor activities for families. In particular, they would like a paved trail from Dayton to Bluewood Ski area, for hiking, or bike camping.

Suzi Tasker said that she is hearing from her clients at New Thought Nutrition about the lack of recreational activity locally, and that people are choosing to recreate in Walla Walla, instead of in Dayton.

Duane Tasker's vision of a network of trails also includes connecting to places with historic significance, like the Oregon Trail, and around Tollgate.

"We're here to support the long-term vision of the area," said Suzi Tasker. "That's exciting."

The trails plan will help with the 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 grants.

The City of Dayton, Columbia County, and the Port of Columbia County have developed a Cooperative Master Plan and will be able to tap into funds through the state Recreation and Conservation Office, according to City of Dayton Planning Director Karen Scharer.

The timeline to develop a trails plan is very aggressive, with a targeted completion date of May, 2018, said Andrea Weckmueller-Behringer Executive Director of the Walla Walla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization, a state and federally designated transportation planning agency.

After this series of public workshops the "alignments that rise to the top" will be noted, and land use restrictions and environmental constraints will be considered. A conceptual design will then be created and unveiled to the public, in May of this year, Weckmueller-Behringer said.

The public will be asked for input into the design at the end of August, or in early September, and work will begin on documentation for local jurisdictions. The plan will be finalized in May, 2018.

For more information about the BMRT-RTR contact Port of Columbia County Economic Development Coordinator Brad McMasters at 382-2577, or by email at brad@portofcolumbia.org. Or visit the BMRT-RTR online at bluezone-trails.org.