The proposed bike path would run alongside Highway 101 east of the Madonna Inn and could be completed as early as the end of this summer. Cyclists and walkers could go downtown without using the Madonna Road Bridge.
Madonna Enterprises is offering to build a three-quarter-mile-long bike trail connecting the Madonna Inn to Marsh Street as a way to offset air pollution caused by the firm’s Irish Hills Plaza development.
The San Luis Obispo City Council is expected to approve the deal when it meets today. The path will be a significant improvement to the city’s bicycle network, said Peggy Mandeville, principal transportation planner.
The main benefit is that it will give cyclists a way to get from downtown to Oceanaire Drive and other southern neighborhoods without having to use the busy Madonna Road Bridge. It will also allow Madonna Inn guests to get to and from downtown without driving.
“This is in our bike plan, so it was a no-brainer for me when it came up as an option,” Mandeville said.
The trail would be a Class 1 bike path, which means it would be dedicated for use by hikers and cyclists only and is not part of a road used by cars. It would start west of the Marsh Street freeway onramp, near the Cerro San Luis trailhead, and run south next to the freeway along land owned by the Madonna family near the Madonna Inn.
If the project is approved, Madonna Enterprises hopes to quickly begin work, said Clint Pearce, real estate manager for Madonna Enterprises. The company will foot the bill for building the trail and will dedicate a trail easement.
“It will take a little while to design,” he said, “but we plan to jump right into it and have it open by the end of this summer.”
County air pollution control officials required that Madonna offset the air pollution caused during the construction of the various retail outlets in front of Costco, including Old Navy and Circuit City. Instead of offering to pay mitigation fees, as it had done for the Costco development, Madonna offered to build the trail.
“I always prefer a project rather than just money,” Mandeville said.
Reach David Sneed at 781-7930.
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