During its Nov. 12 meeting the Sedona City Council unanimously approved allowing the Public Works Department to apply for funding through the Federal Lands Access Program for the construction of a shared-use path from State 89A along Cultural Park Place into the Girdner Trailhead parking lot — a distance of about 0.2 miles — and to repave part of Schnebly Hill Road — through a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
The goal of FLAP funding is to improve accessibility and safety for people to travel around locations owned by the federal government such as National Forest land.
“It’s just approval to apply for the application,” Director of Public Works Kurt Harris said. “If it gets approved, there’ll be far more detail in a detailed scope,” which would have to go before council for approval.
No cost estimate for either project was given by Harris.
“It’s just concepts … it all depends on the final scope,” he said.
“This project will repave Schnebly Hill Road within U.S. Forest Service property from city limits, Quail Ridge Lane to Huckaby, Margs Draw, Munds Wagon Trailheads,” Harris’ presentation reads. “Additionally, two five-foot-wide gravel pathways adjacent to the new pavement roadway are proposed to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. This is necessary to stabilize and protect the edge of pavement and improve drainage to prevent roadway degradation.”
While FLAP does not require any local matching funds from the city and can cover 100% of a project’s cost, it does require a Highway Easement Deed for long-term maintenance that the city would be responsible for on USFS land.
“The big part of this highlight on the Western Gateway the city’s share is would be the shared use path from State Route 89A to the trailhead,” Harris said. He added a $900,000 grant the USFS from the Great American Outdoors Act. “Its going to pay for all the vault toilets and the maintenance and all the equestrian improvements. So the city’s commitment is really the shared use path that we already have planned as part of our Western Gateway [Development].”
The tentative timeline presented is that the city will be notified if it receives the funding for the projects in 2026, with design work continuing into 2027 and construction starting in 2028 at the earliest 2029
