Spokane, WA - Excavation work on the Little Spokane River Valley trails system is set to begin at the end of this month.

Volunteers from the Friends of the Little Spokane River Valley recently completed 80 hours of labor.

Work included small scale leveling by hand, clearing rubbish and cutting trees to clear a path along Little Spokane Drive from Pine River Park to Gleneden Park.

The organization spearheaded the concept of adding a trails system to improve pedestrian safety and link community parks and other destination spots.

A concept map envisions a primary loop that follows Little Spokane Drive south to Dartford Road, then north around Burk Road and back to Little Spokane Drive.

Because of the narrow shoulder, That area is considered to be the least safe for pedestrians, said Loren Dudley, a member of the FLSRV trails committee.

The secondary routes venture into various neighborhoods around the Little Spokane River.

Another goal is to create a link from Pine River Park to the Wandermere Shopping Center park-and-ride, to support alternative modes of transportation, Dudley said.

There is also talk of tie-ins to wildlife corridors between parks and mountain areas.

"I see everything as a positive when we embrace these approaches as neighbors," Dudley said.

The project is valued at about $15,000 after volunteer labor and use of equipment and materials.

Plans are to lay trails and pathways with loose gravel as excavation work has been volunteered by Lance Pounder of Lance Pounder Excavation Inc. of Spokane.