The Portneuf Greenway Foundation announced this week that construction of the first stage of the Connecting Communities Path has begun. The Connecting Communities Path will connect the Bannock County Event Center with Pocatello Creek Road and will be part of a larger trail system that will eventually connect the Portneuf Wellness Complex and Idaho State University. This stage of the project will connect to an existing path at the Bannock County Events and extend to the I-15 right of way. From there, the Idaho Transportation Department will build a path to Pocatello Creek Road in late 2024 or early 2025 as part of the I-15/I-86 Wye project.
The Portneuf Greenway Foundation is constructing this first stage of the Connecting Communities path in cooperation with Bannock County, the Dr. Jason West Family and the Idaho Transportation Department. It is being funded using monies raised by the Greenway and through major donations from Idaho Central Credit Union, grants from the Idaho Parks and Recreation Department, the Portneuf Health Trust, the Idaho Environmental Coalition and the Ifft Foundation. The Idaho Transportation Department is funding a major portion of the second stage of construction, but the Greenway is still raising money to pave the section of trail from Pocatello Creek Road to the tie in with the section under construction this week. Please contact Greenway if you are interested in helping to sponsor this project.
Dan Harelson, president of the Greenway Foundation board said, “We are thrilled that this section of trail is now under construction. It has been very gratifying to work with our community partners and sponsors to pull this project together, and we could not do it without their support.”
The mission of the Portneuf Greenway Foundation is to create a network of bicycle and pedestrian trails throughout the greater Pocatello Chubbuck area to enhance the quality of life for residents of the area by establishing and improving the Portneuf Greenway as a community resource. Throughout its 30-year history, the Foundation has worked with its community partners to construct almost 20 miles of safe, accessible paved pathways in Pocatello and Chubbuck.
