Designated as a "Millennium Trail" by Hillary Clinton in the year 2000, the El Dorado Trail is a multi-modal transportation corridor planned to extend from the eastern border of El Dorado County to South Lake Tahoe.
EL
DORADO TRAIL
The
El Dorado Trail is a concept for a trail that spans the entire length of El
Dorado County from the western county line to the Lake Tahoe Basin. The current
alignment of the El Dorado Trail includes two railroad rights-of-way: the
Michigan-California railroad right-of-way and the Sacramento-Placerville Transportation
Corridor. Some segments are already completed with Class I Bike Paths, other
segments are currently in development or are proposed.
Trails Now is a local non-profit organization
working together with local government agencies, including EDCTC, to develop
the El Dorado Trail. They have posted a map of the existing segments of the
El Dorado Trail here: http://www.trailsnow.org/maps.htm
PROJECT
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
The El Dorado Trail corridor currently extends from the western El Dorado
County line to the Camino area just east of Placerville. The ultimate vision
is to have it extend all the way to Lake Tahoe, but an aligment east of Camino
is yet to be determined. El Dorado County and the City of Placerville have
developed segments of the trail from Clay Street in the City of Placerville
to Parkway Drive in Smith Flat, including the spectacular overpass of Highway
50.
RAIL/TRAIL
CORRIDOR
In July 1991, the Sacramento - Placerville Transportation Corridor Joint Powers
Authority (SPTC-JPA) was formed to purchase the Sacramento-Placerville railroad
corridor from Southern Pacific Railway Corporation. The preserved corridor
will be used as an alternative transportation corridor, including multiple
uses along several sections. El Dorado County has prepared a Sacramento -
Placerville Transportation Corridor Master Plan which identifies multiple
uses, including excursion trains, bicycle, pedestrian and equestrian trails,
and utility easements. The SPTC JPA meets regularly throughout the year, meeting
dates and information are available on their website www.sptc-jpa.org.
The 28-mile segment
of the SPTC in El Dorado County extends from the eastern end of the County
near the Latrobe area to the western portion of the City of Placerville. Chapter
five of the El Dorado County Bicycle Transportation Plan includes proposals
to develop Class I Bike Path along the entire SPTC Corridor. (more)
ONGOING
PROJECTS
Completion
of the following projects would provide El Dorado County with a multi-modal
transportation corridor extending from Shingle Springs to Camino. Four useful
segments are proposed for consideration (listed from east to west), two of
which are currently underway:
Parkway Drive to Los Trampos - El Dorado County Parks and Recreation will construct Class I Bike Path from Parkway Drive in Smith Flat to Los Trampos Road in Camino beginning in August 2007.
Main Street to Ray Lawyer Drive in Placerville - EDCTC is working with Caltrans to obtain an easement to open this segment as a natural trail once Caltrans is done using it for Construction traffic for the Highway 50 Operational Improvments Project.
Forni Road/Ray Lawyer Drive to Missouri Flat Road - Currently in the design phase, this segment is being developed as a Class I Bike Path and includes bike/ped improvements to the Weber Creek Trestle Bridge.
Missouri Flat Road to Oriental Road - This segment is now open as a Natural Trail.
Segments to the west remain closed, but the entire rail corridor is proposed to be developed with a Class I Bike Path in the El Dorado County Bike Transportation Plan.
