Front Page  »  

Funding gap filled for Bob Jones Trail extension

March 6, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The San Luis Obispo Council of Government’s (SLOCOG) voted Wednesday to fill a $7.8 million funding gap for the Bob Jones Trail Extension project after losing a grant from Caltrans.

SLOCOG staff had applied for the Caltrans grant under the false assertion they had secured all rights-of-way for the project. After reviewing the grant, Caltrans said it did not meet eligibility criteria.

The Bob Jones Trail extension is estimated to cost approximately $44 million.

On Wednesday, the SLOCOG Board of Directors voted 9-0 to allocate $7.8 million for the extension that will connect San Luis Obispo to Avila Beach. SLO County Supervisor John Peschong recused himself.

 


Loading...
Subjects:     
Related:


16 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Streets need paving. Graffiti needs removal. Downtown sidewalks need repairs. The crazy lighted crosswalks need to be removed. City plumbing needs repairs. Downtown trees need some trimming. City salaries need cutting.


So many real city needs to be paid for, rather than bike trails for the homeless.


31

Part of the money came from a very competitive state grant. The application that SLO submitted was compelling enough to be funded when many other jurisdictions were not.


0

$44 million dollars ladies and gentlemen…as a county, we can’t even meet the very basic needs of any number of necessary things, including infrastructure, education, mental health services, drug addiction, homelessness, and on and on…but our elected representatives have opted to spend $44 million dollars so a small portion of our community can enjoy a new trail? Oh, sure, we can ALL enjoy the trail, please don’t get me wrong, this I know…

Ya know…growing up, my folks taught us that we don’t spend money we don’t have, avoid all debt at all costs, and NEVER, EVER, spend money on anything that you DON’T ABSOLUTELY need, if all the basic things you DO NEED aren’t taken care of FIRST.

But, whatever, the trail will attract a lot of tourists I suppose…and homeless, and Karens, and police, and… but, who cares…it’s only money! And clearly, we have plenty of it, so what the hell, let’s build the best trail money can buy!!!


9

As a bicyclist, I always just use the road. Otherwise, you have to call out “To your left” or ring your bell to warn pedestrians you’re coming on these bike trails ,if they even care to. I mean c’mon..WALK! Mothers are pushing babies in baby strollers, using both lanes.


4

How in the world in this time of massive budget deficits can anybody justify spending 44 million dollars on what is basically a walking trail.

Who’s pockets are getting lined?


67

Maybe it’s Debbie Arnold making off like a bandit! After all isn’t trying to kill the project the perfect cover story for deniability. Her, the bike cabal, and the New Times Shredder are all in cahoots to rob us blind!


Where am I getting this explanation…. Uh it was revealed to me, I totally didn’t like make it up…


-13

Debbie Arnold cost the taxpayers this 7.8 million dollars because she sided with a stubborn out of state land barron who wouldn’t ease 0.18 acres of useless land for ten times any sane price. She alone discredited our community in the eyes of the State; it amounts to an abdication of responsibility that we all now have to pay for. Glad she’s out.


-52

Ray Bunnell is not “out of state”, I was working for his local company 30 years ago. Their offices are still in the same SLO building. He enjoys his beautiful parcel along the creek and does not want to see it occupied and fouled by inevitable homeless encampments.


54

Why are people so convinced that of all the places in the universe the hoards of homeless miscreants are going to choose this random stretch of grass, along the highway and several miles from the city, to establish their colony. Homeless individuals congregate near people and services (downtown, the Bob Jones Trail *precisely adjacent* to the Prado shelter). It makes no sense, almost like it’s an excuse. Or I’m overthinking it and it’s just illogical.


-22

You clearly don’t get out much. The first homeless camp fouling SLO Creek is off Fox Hollow Road upstream from Cuesta Park, chosen for its seclusion. They commute downtown daily from there. We need to catch up to cities like San Jose, accept shelter and treatment or go to jail. And stop s**ting in the creek we spent decades and millions to clean up.


19

It’s about private property rights. Perhaps the owner doesn’t want the trail near his property for some reason. Could it be drug deals, homeless camps, etc that caused him to have concerns? Possibly, but in any case, it would have gone to court and the County would have lost. That being said, even if $8 million were knocked off of the $44 million cost we should not be spending that money.


52

If my house was in the way of a highway project Arnold wouldn’t think twice about using the wrecking ball, indeed she signed off on eminent domain throughout her tenure. Maybe I’m wrong and if I had concerns that someone might do something, anything, bad near my patch of dirt, I could sue the government and steal taxpayer dollars. I’m old fashioned and think that’s not how a functioning country should work.


-8

The 46 widening projects have never gotten this level of scrutiny over eminent domain. Also, Arnold voted for eminent domain in 2023 for a bridge replacement project.


0

Here is where you are totally wrong…no, we don’t HAVE to pay more for the trail, in fact we don’t HAVE to pay anything for the trail at all…so, there’s that…


18

HAVE in all caps is such a powerful word. You’re right if course; we don’t HAVE to pay out social security checks, we don’t HAVE to give healthcare to figherfighters, we don’t HAVE to drive on the right side of the road, or get Sunday off work, allow Delaware to exist, or really do anything at all.


-13

This county has more money than brains. $44 million for a bike trail? You would think we would have better things to spend that kind of money on.


80