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The Project
The San Joaquin River Conservancy is proposing a project to extend the Lewis S. Eaton Trail by approximately 2.5 miles on over 500 acres of public land. The project site is called Spano River Ranch or River West Fresno and is located between Highway 41 and Palm Avenue.
The River West Fresno project will provide public access to 500 acres of open space and the San Joaquin River. Once complete, there will be a continuous trail from the River Center on Old Friant Road to Palm and Nees.
The River West Fresno project will provide public access to 500 acres of open space and the San Joaquin River. Once complete, there will be a continuous trail from the River Center on Old Friant Road to Palm and Nees.
CEQA
The River Parkway Trust and The Trust for Public Land secured funding from the Packard Foundation and the State of California to acquire the 560-acre Fresno River West (Spano River Ranch) for the San Joaquin River Parkway. The property was identified in the San Joaquin River Parkway Master Plan as a location appropriate for public access and low-intensity recreational uses. A conceptual plan for public access improvements was developed in 2004. In 2008 the City of Fresno received a planning grant from the State Conservancy to host public workshops to solicit input on design preferences for the site. As a result of this work, the City completed a constraints report in 2011. The State Conservancy resumed the role of lead agency for the Fresno River West project and initiated a CEQA process in 2014. A timeline of CEQA work is included below.
What's Happening Now
During the October board meeting, the Conservancy Board received an update on the River West project. The City of Fresno presented a project update with estimated construction costs and a timeline for design completion and construction start. The project is entering 60% design, and the revised construction cost estimate is currently $24,274,000. The revised construction cost estimate for the Core Project (trail extension and parking near Highway 41) is $10,030,000. To address the rising costs and ensure compliance with the settlement agreement, the Conservancy Board directed staff to proceed with the Core Project and not Alternatives 1 and 5b until additional funding becomes available. Construction could begin in 2026.
