Walkers invited to freeway right of way

Do you know where the freeway is?

Maybe you know that the first phase stretches from Highway 395 to Highway 50, but unless you live in the neighborhood besieged by freeway construction, chances are you don't know for sure where it goes.

Muscle Powered, a local walking and bicycling proponent group, is sponsoring a freeway walking tour Tuesday at 6 p.m.

"I just thought it would be interesting to see the freeway right of way after all the talking we've done," said Anne Macquarie, Muscle Powered president. "It is the biggest construction project ever in Carson and it's kind of in a lot of peoples' back yards. It's always easier to visualize things after you see it."

The group has permission from Frehner Construction to walk along the freeway right of way, much of which is under construction.

Supervisor Robin Williamson helped organize the walk, which will start on Arrowhead Drive and end on Highway 50 East. The walk is about 3.8 miles and will take about an hour and a half.

"The purpose is to just let people see where the first phase of the freeway is going to be," Williamson said. "We want to let them see what the impact on the neighborhoods is going to be."

City transit buses will be available at the end of the walk to take people back to their cars.

The walk will also be a chance to for residents to better envision the placement of the proposed freeway walking/hiking path.

Many residents have been confused about the location of the path along the freeway. The freeway will be elevated to more than 20 feet in many places, and the path will run along the ground at the base of the freeway.

How the proposed path will be paid for is still under discussion. Mayor Ray Masayko met with Gov. Kenny Guinn recently to work out a plan to pay for the $3.4 million path.

City and state engineers are still examining whether or not the governor's plan to use city land as part of the freeway drainage will cut costs enough to include the path in freeway construction. Masayko and Guinn have another meeting this week to discuss the issue.