Katie Murphy, a Grand County Active Transportation and Trails (GCAT) staffer, presented a 90% draft of an updated nonmotorized master trails plan to the Moab City Planning Commission, describing a process driven by a 2024 UDOT TPA grant and consultant work by Alta Planning and Design.

The plan update combines recreational trail recommendations with an active‑transportation network meant to improve walking and bicycling connections to key destinations. Murphy said the project budget is $120,000 with a $30,000 city match, Alta was selected in March 2025, and the team expects public hearings in November followed by a December adoption decision.

The plan aims to close gaps in connectivity, add near‑town recreation opportunities, respond to increasing visitor and resident demand, and address climate impacts such as extreme heat and flood recovery. Murphy said survey and mapping responses drove the plan’s vision and guiding principles and that Alta supplied facility designs and a “toolbox” of implementation measures, including typical cross sections for shared‑use paths and protected bike lanes.

Public comments submitted by email and discussed at the meeting focused on electric bikes and on‑path speeds. An emailed comment from Eve Tallman (submitted in a personal capacity) asked the commission to address enforcement of speed limits on trails and the legality and safety of electric motorcycles and underage operators on parkways. Another emailed commenter asked whether electric bikes would be allowed on particular routes and about marking directional lanes. Murphy said e‑device use was a frequent, divided topic in public feedback — roughly half the comments were for or against ebike inclusion — and called for planning responses that would accommodate BLM decisions on federal land and local responses on city/county facilities.

Commissioners and staff discussed design strategies (separation of uses in higher‑density areas, signage and wayfinding, speed guidelines on shared paths) and enforcement limits. Staff members noted that design and wayfinding, coupled with community education, should be the first line of mitigation because local law‑enforcement capacity for ongoing path enforcement is limited. The plan recommends considering short, clearly posted speed limits for shared‑use trails (examples discussed included 10–15 mph in high‑pedestrian areas) and designing corridors to encourage appropriate speeds.

Murphy said the draft converts some formerly precise “alignment” lines from the 2011 plan into corridor studies where private property or floodplain constraints make a defined alignment impractical (Pack Creek was cited as an example that has been changed to a corridor study). She asked commissioners for written comments by October 31 to consolidate feedback for consultants.

The commission suggested additional emphasis in the draft on speed management, signage, education and enforcement approaches, and clearer program and policy language on ebike classification, speed thresholds, and maintenance responsibilities. Staff also noted coordination needs with the unified transportation master plan and the city’s upcoming complete‑streets policy.

Murphy left commissioners with contact information and said staff will circulate an updated PDF and additional maps. Commissioners agreed to consider a special meeting the week of Nov. 17 or 24 to review county feedback before a final draft is posted.