Easy Grade Trail Change-In-Use

Project Overview

The California Department of Parks and Recreation has received a request to open the Easy Grade Trail in Mount Tamalpais State Park to use by bicyclists.  Currently the trail is open to hiking only, and will remain so until construction of trail improvements to accommodate the change-in-use are completed in the future.  The Department is using its “Change-In-Use” process to evaluate the request.  To date, existing conditions have been evaluated; a preliminary evaluation of potential impacts has been completed; public meetings to solicit input from trail users have been held; CEQA review has been completed and the Department has approved proceeding with the change-in-use project, pending funding availability.  The change-in-use evaluation and summary reports are available for download.  A CEQA Notice Of Determination was issued on November 8th 2019. It can be found here. https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/Project/2010092023. 

Next Steps

The change-in-use request has been evaluated and approved for additional action pending funding availability for construction of trail improvements, and a CEQA NOD has been issued. Appropriate design modifications have been developed to accommodate the use in a safe and sustainable way. Project construction is currently unfunded and will NOT proceed until enough funding is available to ensure a complete project.

  1. Complete project cost estimate.
  2. Secure funding, this will likely need to come from multiple sources.
  3. Once funding is secured, the District can begin to acquire necessary regulatory permits, which may take six to 18 months to complete.
  4. Once funding has been secured, construction work can begin. Project items that require regulatory permits can begin once funding and the necessary permits are required.

Timeline

The tentative timeline to project implementation is as follows:  All project related timelines subject to funding availability.

Fall 2019 - Winter 2020 - Develop construction cost estimate and work plan; identify funding.

Winter - Summer 2020 - Begin to secure required regulatory permits.

Fall- 2020 or as funding allows-Reconstruct Trail to appropriate standards to allow mountain bike use. 

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Please note that this timeline is tentative and dependent on funding and the completion of each step in a timely manner. A delay in any portion of this timeline will likely result in a delay to the entire timeline.

 

The Department will continue to provide updates to this webpage as the project proceeds.