A segment of the American River bike trail near Rancho Cordova was damaged during a major storm last November. Now, Sacramento County and the city have closed off the section to complete a fix and hopes to re-open it by the end of August.
Liz Bellas, director of Sacramento County regional parks, says she hasn’t seen damage to the trail like this in more than 30 years.
“The riverbank that was adjacent to the trail was undercut and collapsed and fell away,” she said. “The last time that I can recall something like this happening was in the big floods of ’86.”
Crews are now stabilizing the riverbank, and the trail for cyclists has been moved inland a few hundred feet. Those who use the trail have to take an approximately two-mile detour.
“It’s not a large section of trail. But I was out there looking at it just earlier today, and it is beautiful. I think they’re going to be very pleased,” Bellas said of the work, which began on August 5.
The county is not immediately concerned about other vulnerable parts of the trail during future storms. The cost of the fix is estimated at $500,000.
“It’ll still remain closed a little while longer. But we are very close to being done,” Bellas said.
CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.