Title
Discussion of Canyon Rim Trail Feasibly to LAMC/Omega Bridge
Body
The Canyon Rim Trail is a ten-foot-wide paved multi-use trail that provides an alternative mobility corridor for pedestrians and bicyclists connecting the Townsite to the Entrada area development. The initiative to design and construct a multi-use trail corridor in defined phased projects began in 2006 and is ongoing. Between 2010 and 2022, Canyon Rim Trail Phase I, II, the Smith’s Marketplace segment, and the underpass were constructed creating a multi-use trail from Camino Entrada to Knecht Street.
Phase III of the project will extend the trail from Knecht Street west towards 20th Street providing a connection to the recently completed Urban Trail and downtown area. This phase presents constructability challenges and requires multiple easements through both private and DOE/LANL properties. Easements to 15th Street have been obtained, design is near completion with solicitation of construction bids scheduled for advertisement late 2025. Acquisition of easements to 20th Street is ongoing and pending completion.
Over the years, requests have been made to explore the feasibility of extending the Canyon Rim Trail all the way to Diamond Drive and the Los Alamos Medical Center Area. A feasibility study was completed in 2016 and presented to the Transportation Board on March 3, 2016. The analysis recognized the challenges of this further extension of the trail.
This presentation is being brought forth as a result of recent requests by Council and will touch on the previous feasibility analysis and provide an opportunity to discuss other potential options for extending the trail further west past 20th Street. A similar presentation was made to the Transportation Board on June 5, 2025 with a motion made by the Board requesting staff to bring a proposal to County Council to engage in a feasibility study.
Attachments
A - Canyon Rim Trail Feasibility Presentation