11-12-2014, 10:53 AM
(11-12-2014, 10:42 AM)ookpik Wrote: I'm not sure exactly what sections of Hillside trail are about to be paved. Hopefully it includes the part along Laurel Creek from University to where the trail forks towards Lexington. That section is now closed in the winter. Once it's paved presumably it will get plowed out regularly like other paved trails.
That part will be paved (I don't know exactly which parts will be paved either, but it will be at least what is part of Waterloop, which includes the University/Carter entrance through to the Lexington underpass). I am hoping that it also includes the branch that leads to MacGregor Crescent, as that part is winter maintained currently.
But when I asked at consultations about winter maintenance for the creekside leg as a result of paving, the answer was that there were no plans to change winter maintenance... yet. (There are also concerns about the shaded trail there getting a lot of thaw runoff and freezing.) I hope that one the Waterloop trail takes form, we'll be able to push for making it all a part of a maintained winter trail network.
That part of the trail definitely sees heavy use despite the lack of winter maintenance, though. I've been through there in early spring and observed rutted, heavily trodden down snow and ice. It's impossible to ride, but there is evidence that people try anyway.