Workers are making steady progress toward completion of a 55-mile loop of car-free paths around the Tucson area - but the future of one key spur path is still up in the air.
That spur would extend the Rillito River Park segment of the loop eastward from its abrupt end at North Craycroft Road to Tanque Verde Road.
Work on the extension can't begin, though, unless developers and government officials reach agreement on access to a trail route.
"The city (of Tucson) and the developer need to give us the property, and then we'll put the path in," said Nanette Slusser, assistant administrator for Pima County.
The county oversees development of the trail system, known as The Loop, in cooperation with the city of Tucson.
The Loop - open to pedestrians, cyclists and horseback riders - will link the Rillito, Santa Cruz and Pantano river parks with greenways along Julian Wash and Harrison Road.
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Several spur trails, or loop links, will extend from the main loop and bring the total trail distance to about 130 miles, Slusser said.
The spur trail that would extend east of Craycroft Road, along the north bank of Tanque Verde Creek, is in limbo because of a somewhat complex set of circumstances.
A key player in the scenario is Broadway Realty & Trust Inc. The company, which owns some of the land needed for the trail extension, is developing a complex of retail businesses, offices and homes on the southeast corner of Craycroft and River Roads.
Negotiations could result in a go-ahead for the extension, said G.T. Alley, a spokesman for Broadway Realty & Trust.
"We're in the process of doing an annexation into the city of Tucson for that property," Alley said. "There may very well be an opportunity to provide a property permit extension east of the Craycroft bridge. But because we're under negotiations with the city of Tucson, there's no agreement yet."
Alley said the issue is complex because "There are variables which include other property owners along the north side of Tanque Verde Creek.
"This is a regional issue," Alley said. "It needs to be worked out between ourselves, neighbors on the north bank of Tanque Verde Creek, and the (government) jurisdictions. If everybody can come to an agreement, we'd like to see it go forward."
Meanwhile, Slusser said plans call for completing the Julian Wash segment of the loop - from Harrison Road to the Santa Cruz River - by the end of this year or early next year.
"We're probably three to five years away from getting the whole 55 miles" of the main loop completed, she said.
"We're probably three to five years away from getting the whole 55 miles" of the main loop completed.
Nanette Slusser, assistant administrator for Pima County
loop update
Pima County and the city of Tucson will update the public on the progress of The Loop on Wednes-day from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Thomas Jay Regional Park Recreation Center, 6465 S. Craycroft Road.
Contact reporter Doug Kreutz at dkreutz@azstarnet.com or at 573-4192.
