Recreation is a big deal in Cottonwood Heights. On any given day, bikers, hikers and runners can be found enjoying the beauties of the city and surrounding hills.

But knowing what trails connect and what streets have bike lanes or sidewalks is often a guessing game.

Until now.

By the end of the year, city officials hope to release a newly-completed Bike and Trails Master Plan, which maps the majority of the pathways in the city.

“It shows what’s existing and what’s proposed. As we go through development proposals, we’ll talk with people about making the trail connection or widening the road for bike lanes,” Planning Director Brian Berndt said.

Pocket maps will be available to the public through the city and bike stores in Cottonwood Heights. They also plan to place the data into the city’s GIS system to create an interactive online map.

When the city incorporated 10 years ago, accessible and well-maintained open space for recreation was a primary objective for residents.

For the past six months, Associate Planner Michael Johnson has spearheaded the project, overseeing the compilation of new and existing data, often biking or walking various pathways with other members of the planning team.

The map will be used by the city to strategically plan trail connections in the future.

“I think that this is really going to be a big benefit to the community,” Berndt said.