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2.4.2 Soft-Surface Trails in Comparable Cities Comparing Eugene 1 s current system to that of other comparable cities, shows that Eugene is doing well, but lags behind Springfield and Boise in per capita miles. Figure 2-2: Miles of Trails in Comparable Cities Eugene Springfield Spokane Salem Boise I Off-street unpaved 40 23 .5 11 150 trails (miles) Miles of unpaved trail 2.6 3.8 0.2 .7 7.0 per 10,000 residents Source: Trust for Public Lands (2015) 2.4.3 System Connectivity and Distribution A key guiding principle of the Eugene Trails Plan calls for the development of a highly connected network of trails that provides access to recreational trails from neighborhoods and schools, makes connections to the broader regional trail network, and provides a web of interconnected trail options that present loop options of varying lengths. An additional guiding principle calls for distribution of soft- surface trails throughout the city (see Section 4.2). Noteworthy observations about the existing trail network are as follows: • Southeast Eugene, which contains the Ridgeline Trail, Spencer Butte Trail, the Headwaters Trail, and the Amazon Park and Upper Amazon running trails contain the most extensive and most interconnected trail network in the city and is a regional draw for recreational users. • Much of the Willakenzie, River Road, and Santa Clara neighborhoods are currently underserved by soft-surface trails, with the exception of the trails found at Delta Ponds and scattered short isolated trail segments located in neighborhood parks or at schools. Trail siting in these parts of the city has been challenging due to the existing dense land development patterns and limited publicly owned linear natural features such as ridges and creeks which provide good opportunities for siting trails. • Trail access to, and onto, some of the larger newly purchased natural areas such as Suzanne Arlie Park, South Eugene Meadows, Wild Iris Ridge, and Golden Gardens is currently very limited. • The total length of shared-use trail that can accommodate bicycles is currently limited, non- contiguous, and mainly located on very steep and challenging terrain. These factors currently limit options for mountain biking in the community. • The network of hard-surface shared-use paths, although not addressed in this plan, provides important connectivity to and between soft-surface trail segments. • In many parts of the city, the street network is the only feasible option for providing connections between isolated trail segments, schools, and neighborhoods, mainly due to the lack of undeveloped land or linear natural features where those connections could be made. Eugene Trails Plan -2018 Page 17