Every year thousands of trail users enjoy the 14-mile trail that begins at Utah Lake in Provo and ends at Vivian Park in Provo Canyon. American Fork Public Works Director Howard Denney has a similar vision for trails in his community.

"I've always thought that one master trail was important," Denney said. He was involved with Utah County as project manager for the Provo trail. "As far as I know, we got the first federal funds in Utah [for trails] for the Provo Parkway," he said. "There was a [string] of parks up Provo Canyon, and the trail went through them."

When that trail was completed, he worked on the Jordan River Parkway, which starts at Utah Lake near Saratoga Springs and continues north through Salt Lake County.

"That started my trail emphasis," he said. Denney has been involved in plans for an American Fork trail system since he began working for the city about 16 years ago. "It's been a long and slow process," he said.

Part of the process has been securing rights of way from adjacent homeowners. "Some say it will be a gathering place for drug deals, it's not going to be used, it will depreciate the value of my land," he said. "But Cedar Hills is a neat example. Even though it is in people's backyards, it's a great asset to the community, and it hasn't had the negative connotations."

Last year American Fork residents voted against a bond that would have funded trails, but Denney has been able to secure federal funding for three trail projects. "I applied for the grant probably 10 years ago," he said. "It usually takes five to seven years to be able to get funds."

Federal trail funding is targeted for trails that provide "surface transportation and congestion management," Denney said. "The theory is that trails provide potential alternate routes for travel."

Work is currently progressing on several trail sections. The American Fork River Trail begins north of the Art Dye park, going through the park, which provides restrooms, drinking fountains, and a large parking lot. The trail will continue south on 500 East, cross to the west side of the river, and connect with an urban trail on 300 North.

The urban trail is being built across the street from Forbes Elementary and goes west to Center Street. From there it heads north to the cemetery, passing the recreation center. It also goes south to the skateboard park, which is located at 500 South and 200 East.

"Our goal is to [extend] the trail to the American Fork boat harbor," Denney said. The first barrier is getting under Interstate 15, and he is working with I-15 project managers to widen the 100 East underpass, which would allow for a full-width trail. Another barrier is that only a small portion of the proposed trail corridor is within American Fork boundaries; the majority is in Utah County. "We fairly quickly run out of city, so we have no federal funds or control," Denney said.

Denney has plans for other trails as well. One proposed trail is along the former Union Pacific railroad, and he has already approached Mountainland Association of Governments about it. "It would connect American Fork, Lehi and Pleasant Grove," he said. "Lehi has already built the first part from Point of the Mountain."

One recently completed trail is around the new irrigation pond, located on 100 East directly south of the American Fork/Highland boundary. It includes benches with a panoramic view of the mountains.

"We see that as a spot where people will propose," he said.

Denney said he looks forward to the day when trails intersect American Fork, providing recreation and nonvehicular access.

"The best thing right now is to get some of these trails in place and let people experience what they are," he said.