a new walk on the chena

and it's been stuck on the drawing board for more than a decade.

Fairbanks might finally get a scenic walking path right along the Chena River. The borough's transportation planners are pushing to make it real after years of it just sitting on the shelf.

Here's the plan. It would tie into the footbridge that crosses the river between Pioneer Park and the Carlson Center, then run about 1,600 feet west along the north bank. Picture an easy riverside stroll, right in the heart of town.

So what's the hold up? Money. The original design came in around 7 million dollars, and that price has grown sixfold over the last decade. Right now, that's just too steep for the borough to swing.

But there's a real path forward. They're waiting on the state to come back with more affordable design options, and word on that is expected in August.

And here's the part that helps us. Buying the land along the river would be covered entirely with federal dollars. For the actual build, locals would only chip in around nine percent, with the feds covering the rest.

If the numbers line up, crews could break ground within the next couple of years. For a town built around this river, that walk could end up being a real treasure.