Trail project in Citrus Heights moving forward, with tree preservation efforts

By Mike Hazlip—
Construction of a new 2.9-mile trail through Citrus Heights is set to begin this summer, with planners taking active measures to significantly reduce the initial number of about 300 trees needing to be removed.

The Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail Project, formerly called the Electric Greenway trail project, has been in the planning stages for years city documents show, however COVID-related delays have pushed the start of construction back according to a previous report by The Sentinel.  The trail will run from the Arcade Creek Park Preserve in the Sunrise MarketPlace business district all the way to Wachtel Way, in the northern city limits.

Citrus Heights Area Seven Eight and Nine (CHASEN) board member Steve Wigginton presented detailed information to the community association during a meeting earlier this year, noting that city planners had “actually re-routed the trail a bunch to try and dodge some of the trees.”

He said the plan calls for an “inch for inch” tree replacement with continued monitoring by the Sacramento Tree Foundation to ensure the new trees thrive. According to the city’s website, replacement trees will either be planted along the trail corridor or at nearby parks.

The city says a total of 302 trees were initially identified to be removed as part of the trail project, but that number has now been cut down to 121 trees, 80 of which are protected. Ongoing efforts by the design team aim to further reduce that number, according to a frequently asked questions page on the city’s website.

None of the more than $6 million cost for the trail will come out of the city’s General Fund, city documents show. Funds will come from a $6.2 million Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant with an additional $595,080 from a variety of sources including Measure A funds, park impact fees, tree mitigation funds, and storm water utility funds, according to the city.

Citrus Heights was awarded the grant in 2017 to pay for right-of-way, design and construction phases of the trail project. As reported in 2020, the planning and environmental documentation phase has cost around $1 million.

Once completed, the trail will be part of a broader network throughout the greater Sacramento area that aims to include areas such as Roseville and Folsom Lake, according to the city.

A map showing the path the trail will follow through the city can be seen in prior story: Construction of new trail in Citrus Heights to start this summer, after pandemic delays.