By Justin Adams | [email protected]

This summer, Salt Lake County finished construction on a new bridge that spans Dimple Dell Park at approximately 800 East.

The bridge connects two trails on either side of the park: the White City trail on the north, which connects to Big Bear Park and the Sandy Canal Trail to the south, which connects to the Porter Rockwell Trail in Draper.

“This is the best thing to happen to White City in many years,” said Paulina Flint, mayor of the White City Township, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held for the bridge. She noted the increased connectivity that the bridge creates for residents of the surrounding neighborhood. “This is so valuable to all of our communities. The connectivity to Bear Park in a safe route—not having to walk Sego Lily with no sidewalks and the dangerous streets on Seventh East.”

Sandy Mayor Kurt Bradburn was also on hand, and spoke about how even though the bridge may be in White City boundaries, it still benefits many Sandy residents whose children attend nearby schools. He also commended the speed with which the project moved from approval to finished construction.

“I have four little kids and I think we started a Lego project around the same time I signed those permits, and I still haven’t completed that,” he said. 

The bridge is just one part of a larger Salt Lake County project that also included the creation of a new trail going from the bridge to 10600 South. The final piece, expected to be completed this fall, will connect Big Bear Park to 9400 South. Once completed, residents will be able to walk or bike from 9400 South all the way to the point of the mountain. 

The project was funded by the 2016 Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) bond, which was approved by Salt Lake County residents and allowed for the issuance of $90 million worth of bonds to pay for the construction of new parks, trails, recreational amenities and a recreation center. The extra tax burden for Salt Lake County residents to pay for those bonds is an extra $18 per year, based on a $295,000 home, according to the County. 

The trail expansion is itself part of a larger effort in Sandy and throughout the County to emphasize active transportation options. Last year, Sandy City passed a new Bike Trails Master Plan that doubled the amount of designated bikeways and trails within the city. Meanwhile, Salt Lake County’s Active Transportation Implementation Plan aims “to identify and prioritize specific routes and spot improvements throughout the valley that contribute to safe connections between cities, townships, neighborhoods, schools, commercial centers, transit, parks, and regional off-street paths, such as the Jordan River Parkway.”