A 0.2-mile extension of the West County Trail was completed, Sonoma County Regional Parks announced on March 17. The addition connects a gap in the Forestville section of the trail along Highway 116.
The trail was pointed out as a priority project in the county’s 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan — to date, the county has constructed 5.5 miles of the West County Trail, part of a 13-mile trail meant to connect Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Graton and Forestville. The Forestville section of the trail, which was completed in 2000, had ended at Pajaro Lane.
According to the announcement from Sonoma County Regional Parks, the extension closes the gap that had existed between Pajaro Lane and Main Street Forestville along Highway 116.
“Construction of a trail extension to Highway 116, completing the West County Trail, has been decades in the making,” said Sonoma County Regional Parks Director Bert Whitaker. “As a means for safely commuting to and from work or finding mental and physical wellbeing in the outdoors close to home, this trail network has only taken on more significance during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for the leadership of Supervisor Hopkins and our partners in making this community addition become a reality.”
The addition includes an 8-foot-wide, 200-foot-long boardwalk meant to improve access for bicyclists, pedestrians and equestrians during flood season.
“With the completion of this new boardwalk, people are loving how easy it is now to have direct access to the West County Trail from downtown Forestville,” said Lucy Hardcastle, Forestville Planning Association Board President. “This important project means we’re one step closer to making the downtown ‘oaks park’ into an official community gathering spot and formal trailhead for the West County Trail.”
The land acquisition was made possible through partnership with the Sonoma County Transportation and Public Works Department, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (Sonoma Ag + Open Space) and the Forestville Planning Association.
Funding sources for this $750,000 trail extension include Park Mitigation Fees, a federal transportation grant, and local Traffic Mitigation Fees.
In 2013, the nonprofit Forestville Planning Association received a $400,500 grant from Sonoma Ag + Open Space’s Matching Grant Program for the acquisition of approximately eight acres in downtown Forestville that will be developed into a community town square.
In return, the Forestville Planning Association offered a public access trail easement on their property, allowing Regional Parks to complete the trail connection.
“This is a great example of what can happen when we work with partners and neighbors to find solutions,” said Chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Lynda Hopkins. “This investment in the community improves safety for walkers, bicyclists and families, expands non-motorized access to local businesses, parks and schools, and creates a wonderful starting point for outdoor recreation amid the beautiful scenery of the West County Trail.”
