Share Your Thoughts on the Briones Pilot Project
East Bay Regional Park District is seeking feedback from trail users who have hiked or ridden on the trails in the Briones Pilot Project zone since the project launched in April 2023. Public input will help planners make project decisions and consider future plans, both for this project and districtwide.
To provide feedback, visit the Briones Pilot Project webpage and scroll to “Provide Feedback” to fill out an online survey or add a comment on the pilot project's interactive map.
The Briones Pilot Project was designed to test new ways to safely share trails and improve the trail experience for all users while protecting habitat, wildlife, and watersheds in Briones Regional Park. Longtime efforts to close bootleg trails, restore habitat, and manage conflicts on the trails had not been effective, and Park District planners wanted to try something new. Before the pilot project was launched, a community meeting was held in the park where ideas were discussed and shared with park planners. Many of the ideas from the community were added to the design of the Briones Pilot Project.
“This project came about because we needed a fresh approach from the previous efforts to address the concerns about illegal trails, habitat degradation, and conflicts between trail user groups,” said Park District Trails Program Manager Sean Dougan. “The Briones Pilot Project has given us a way to restore balance for trail users in the park by offering an innovative way for everyone to enjoy the trails while restoring critical habitat and reducing conflicts.”
At the Briones Pilot Project community meeting held in June 2024, about 75 community members – hikers, cyclists, and equestrians – joined Park District staff to discuss the first year of the project and provide their feedback on what has improved and where challenges remain. The break-out sessions with trail users and staff provided a wealth of information about the trails and the visitor experience in the project zone. Overall, feedback has shown a positive result during the pilot project time period, and Briones Regional Park staff reports that visitor conflicts have greatly decreased since the pilot project launched.
For additional information about the Briones Pilot Project, including weekend schedules, restrictions, and a video of the June community meeting, visit the Briones Pilot Project webpage.
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The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
