Protesters try to stop Sacramento County from reopening popular Sailor Bar road to traffic
FAIR OAKS – A community came together in Fair Oaks to protest against the county reopening a road that turned into a popular walking trail during its closure.
More than 100 people gathered to show they want the road to remain closed in the Sailor Bar area.
The one-third of a mile that the county is re-opening is an unpaved road that has existed since the 1970s. This area has been closed to cars and trucks since 2009.
"This would be a devastating loss," Claudia Thorn said.
Thorn, the president of the Fair Oaks Historical Society, has lived near Sailor Bar for more than 20 years. She wants the trail to stay the way it is.
"For me, this place is like a sanctuary. It's almost spiritual. You come down here and it's a sense of serenity and nature," she said.
The county had plans to keep the road open, but after the financial crisis of 2008, it had to put those plans on pause and the trail stayed.
Now, with more staffing, the Recreation and Parks Commission plans to once again allow driving on it.
It will allow easier access to the American River and, county officials say, make it easier for people with mobility or accessibility issues.
"Then how come fishermen aren't lining up in support of that," Thorn said. "This is not what the community wants, it's not about what Sacramento County wants."
There is a petition with over 5,500 signatures opposing the reopening of the road.
"When they go to testify, it's been sit down and shut up," Thorn said.
"Protecting nature is really important to me, I really want to make sure that all of that is protected," said Davin Ward, who participated in the protest.
"I don't really feel like there needs to be cars out here," said Ashlyn Ward, who attended the protest with her brother, Davin.
The county says there's no additional cost for re-opening the stretch of gravel road. The deferred maintenance was completed as part of its general maintenance budget.
No major project changes or environmental testing has to be done.
The Recreation and Park Commission is set to have its next meeting on Feb. 27.
Please note that this meeting has been moved to the Sacramento County Board Chambers at 700 H St., in Sacramento to accommodate members of the public who wish to attend.
Editor's Note: The story is updated from a previous version to correct and clarify information from Sacramento County about its plans for the Sailor Bar area. The previous version incorrectly characterized the road that the county plans to reopen as having always been a 'walking trail' and included an estimated cost for the project that was actually for a separate project in the Sailor Bar area.
