Clovis to hold public meeting on trail design

The city of Clovis is holding a public meeting to discuss and take comments on the design phase of the Liebelt Channel Multi-use Trail at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the Clovis-Carver Public Library.

The 2.8-mile multi-use trail, which is in the planning stages, would run along the natural drainage channel from northwest Clovis near Bob Spencer Park southeast to Greene Acres Lake, as previously reported by The News.

Other aspects of the new trail system include lighting, widening of sidewalks within Greene Acres Park and way finding signs between Bob Spencer Park and Hillcrest Park, according to the city’s public meeting notice.

City Manager Justin Howalt said city has been “trying to achieve this project for several years by securing recreational trails funding.”

The trail is a way to connect several of the parks via the trail system or existing infrastructure, including bike lanes and sidewalks via signage, Howalt said.

The purpose of the meeting is to introduce the project to the public, present an overview of how it will look and gather public comments, he said.

The city has not yet secured funding for the construction phase of the project, he added.

The federal funding for this design phase comes from the Federal Highway Administration through the New Mexico Department of Transportation, he said. Because the funding is federal, the city must conduct public meetings and take comments from the public.

The National Environmental Policy Act triggers a review process when federal funding for a project is involved.

The grant for the project is $256,320, with a city share of $43,680 for a total of $300,000, Howalt said.

The meeting will consist of a short presentation followed by a question and answer session, according to the notice.

Comments and questions may be sent to [email protected]. The comment period ends Sept. 30.

The meeting will take place in the Ingram Room at the library, 701 N. Main St., in Clovis.