The city of Spokane Valley has begun work on the $1.4 million second phase of the long-awaited Appleway Trail, says city spokeswoman Carolbelle Branch. 

The section of trail for the second phase will run from University Road to Pines Road in Spokane Valley, Branch says. Eventually, the trail will connect to the first section that was constructed at the east end of Appleway Boulevard, between Tschirley and Hodges roads, in 2008.

L&L Cargile Inc., of Spokane, is the contractor for the earth work portion of the latest project, Branch says, and SvR Design Co., of Seattle, is the engineer for the entire second phase.   

“The earth work is happening now and should wrap up by the end of September, weather depending,” Branch says. 

Construction of the 12-foot-wide asphalt pathway, with the work also to include installing lighting, trees, irrigation, and drinking fountains, is expected to start as soon as the earth work is complete and to wrap up by the end of October, Branch says. 

Bids for that work will be opened on Sept. 9, she says, adding, “We anticipate it will go to the council for approval that same evening.” 

As part of the second portion, construction of a plaza-style area at University and the western entrance to the trail also are expected to begin in late September. The plaza is expected to have benches and water fountains, along with trees and landscaping. The trail itself will be lighted and will have landscaping along its edge. 

The completed trail is slated to have features such as picnic areas, a mountain bike trail, community garden areas, and exercise stations. At this time, there isn’t a timeline for the completion of the trail or a cost estimate for the overall project.

However, design for the next phase of the trail, which will run from Pines Road to Evergreen Road, is expected to begin in 2016, with funding coming available in 2017, Branch says. 

The site being used for the trail originally was envisioned to become an extension of Appleway Boulevard, but the city decided the extension wasn’t needed and instead decided to turn the land into a community trail. In 2012, the city signed an agreement with Spokane County to use the county-owned former Milwaukee Railroad right-of-way corridor, which runs east and west just south of Sprague Avenue, for a trail.