Nine trail segments need work, Salt Lake County Council of Governments officials were told Thursday, in order to complete the recreation path from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake.

But the recommendations on closing the gaps do not include a comprehensive funding mechanism . This issue could prove an uphill hike for city and county politicians still angling for money to pay for things like expansion of the Salt Palace in downtown Salt Lake City.

"These are the tough sections," said Jeff Salt, president of the Provo-Jordan River Parkway Foundation, who worried the project had been stagnating. "We think this is an important step."

More than 60 people have provided input during a series of open-house meetings with the forum, which used a 2000 study on natural conservation of the Jordan River corridor as a model.

The priority areas include:

l An unpaved trail from 1000 North to the Davis County line.

l No trail from 250 South to North Temple.

l An unpaved trail from 3700 South to 3900 South.

l No trail from 8600 South to 9000 South.

l No trail from 9400 South to 9800 South.

l No trail from 11400 South to 11800 South.

l No trail from 14600 South to the Jordan Narrows.

l The washout at the Jordan Narrows near Point of the Mountain.

Mark Bedel of the Jordan River Natural Areas Forum recommended simultaneous work along different river segments once funding is secured.

"If we combine these activities, we could probably get things done quicker," he said.

Later this month, Salt Lake County officials will apply for a $15,000 to $20,000 planning grant to help cover a $60,000 plan to guide work - a final price tag is unknown - along the parkway.

Both Bedel and Salt lauded the dozens of residents who they say are driving the focus on the trail. But, the pair cautioned, completion is still years away.

The parkway project, Salt added, has been a vision for environmental and recreation activists since 1972.