They spotted a hazard and decided to do something about it.
Best of all, they succeeded.
The story began last winter when students in the Leroy Greene Academy Bike Club contacted the office of City Councilman Steve Hansen last winter about a several-hundred-foot section of Natomas bike trail with cracks, holes and divots that could endanger cyclists.
Hansen asked staff to look into the issue, which contacted city departments, which ultimately decided that the portion of bike trail on the west side of Interstate 5 between Interstate 80 and West El Camino was a public nuisance, requiring repair, but that it was privately owned.
The issue took months to resolve, but the trail eventually was repaired through a partnership of the corporate owner and the South Natomas Transportation Management Association. The Leroy Greene Academy Bike Club recently celebrated by releasing a media advisory that included a photo of the pockmarked trail before repairs.
Arlette Hodel, an adviser to the Bike Club and a certified bicycle safety instructor, applauded the LGA students for identifying a safety hazard and making a difference. “It’s community action, having kids involved in their community,” she said.
Consuelo Hernandez, who is Councilman Hansen’s district director, thanked the LGA Bike Club for contacting their office. “It was great for them to bring it to our attention and a good way, hopefully, for them to see how different levels of city government can work,” she said.
