The city's verdict is in for bikes in Forest Park: There will be no new trails for bikes amid the 5,000 acres.

That's a surprise, given that for over a year, a group of citizens including NW Trails Alliance members have been working on a committee whose original task was to recommend how to open up 20-30 new miles of Forest Park trails to bikes. Today instead of announcing how and when new trails would be opened to bikes, the Parks Department and Commissioner Fish's office announced that they would merely work to improve existing trails.

Currently, only 30 miles of Forest Park's 70 miles of paths are open to bikes and only a measly 1/3 of a mile is the narrow "singletrack" paths mountain bikers prefer.

The plan to build more bike facilities in Forest Park caught a lot of attention last winter when frustrated mountain bikers carved an illegal trail through the woods, causing an estimated $80,000 in damage. The recommendation today says more maintenance work and study is need before new trails can be opened. Once the city can "secure funding to develop, implement and complete a wildlife study" of the park, says the announcement, it could potentially permit new trails based on the results of the study.

Throwing a bone to the bikers, the recommendations also promise to "prioritize" singletrack cycling in the new Gateway Green park and construct two new temporary skills parks somewhere in the city.

One of the issues is lack of resources for Forest Park in general: the 5,000 acre park receives just one percent of the city's parks funding and employs only one full-time, year-round ranger.

Full list of recommendations below the cut.

• Design and implementation of a new vegetation monitoring program
• Development of a new outreach and education plan to increase knowledge of trail etiquette and safety
• Expand the Recreation User Study
• Secure funding to develop, implement and complete a wildlife study
• Work with partners to improve one to two fire lanes or utility corridors that are currently open to cyclists
• Proceed with permitting applications for additional trail recommendations based on the outcome of completed studies
• With the support of Mayor Sam Adams, PP&R will take the lead role in managing Gateway Green and prioritizing singletrack cycling in this new park
• PP&R will work in partnership with the NW Trail Alliance to construct two new temporary skills parks
• With the support of Commissioner Randy Leonard, PP&R and the Portland Water Bureau will improve the recreational experience for pedestrians, equestrians, and bikers, while also increasing natural area protections at Powell Butte Natural Area
• The City will continue to work with Metro and Intertwine partners to provide more single track cycling opportunities in the Portland region