Fredensborg Canyon Road in Solvang does not have a sidewalk for pedestrians, but a new multipurpose trail could soon be added in the area to improve safety.
“I think it would be great for everyone and outdoor people that like to get out and walk, people that like to get out and ride their bikes,” said Solvang resident Sam Berouty.
Berouty says he has lived in town for more than two decades and regularly goes on walks down Fredensborg, but due to the lack of sidewalks and high volume of passing cars, he says a number of car crashes have happened in his neighborhood over the years.
“People do race down here. I have had friends get hit by cars. It just happens,” he admitted. “It is something they need to take care of.”
In response to these concerns, last month, the Solvang City Council voted to begin design work for a new walking and biking path on Fredensborg, which Public Works Director Rodger Olds says would be separated from the regular flow of traffic.
While Berouty feels the renovations are needed, his neighbor, Dan Martin, disagrees.
“I don’t know if it is really necessary to have a walking sidewalk here,” he told KSBY.
Martin adds that he too walks down Fredensborg multiple times a week but says he has never had an issue sharing the road with vehicles. Martin believes the trail project would hinder the country feel of his hometown.
“This is a nice 'country road.' We are not trying to make this a city road,” Martin said.
According to city leaders, the new trail would be installed on only one side of Fredensborg Canyon Road and would be accompanied by traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds. Olds says the total cost of the project is estimated between $1 million and $1.5 million.
“I am glad they are looking into it because the safety is important for everybody. I just don’t know where the money is going to come from to make it happen,” Berouty added.
Public Works officials say the project’s funding has been included in the city’s capital improvement program, which the city council should consider approval of in the coming weeks.
Olds adds that the design for the future Fredensborg trail should be completed and available to the public this summer.
