DRT South 2015 Alternatives Analysis Presentation.pdf

DRT – South UGB Bridge and Trail – Option Evaluation

DRAFT

Project Purpose and Background

Project Purpose and Need The purpose of the Deschutes River Trail - South Urban Growth Boundary Bridge and Trail project is to provide a Deschutes River Trail (DRT) connection to fill a gap between the southern end of the existing trail at River Rim Park and the northern terminus of the DRT (US Forest Service) on the west side of the Deschutes River, south of the City of Bend Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). This would include extended trails and a new footbridge over the river.

Background In 2008, the Bend Park and Recreation District (District) completed a Trails Master Plan that includes a fully developed DRT extending through the District. The Trails Master Plan proposed developing a system of multiuse off-street primary trails that connect to the US Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other regional trails within Deschutes County. The existing trail network includes a core system of regional trails that serve as the backbone of the trails network. As proposed in the Trails Master Plan, a complementary system of connector trails through neighborhoods would also support the core system.

1/27/15

Preliminary Evaluation Evaluation criteria were developed to compare how well proposed improvements meet the Project Purpose and Need. Working with the CAC, BPRD staff and consultants developed a set of criteria to help evaluate the various bridge and trail concepts. While this level of analysis was done so without the benefit of detailed engineering and surveying (which will come later), it still provides an adequate basis for determining a preferred option to move forward.

The analysis included the use of BPRD’s Geographic Information System (GIS), recent aerial imagery, city/county land use data, as well as state and federal data and regulations. Performance measures were developed as a mix of qualitative and quantitative assessments based on the criteria and the availability of data at this stage of evaluation. Once the CAC determines a preferred bridge and trail option, staff will update the BPRD Board and more detailed engineering and environmental evaluations will take place on that option.

This initial scoring and ranking is provided to the CAC for discussion. At this point in the evaluation, the criteria are un-weighted and did not take into account costs for property acquisition, estimated construction costs, or written comments from private property owners in opposition to the bridge or trail alignment using their land (see separate attachment).

The results show that Option 3B, the combination of bridge Option 3 (USFS) and a trail on the Thompson property, has the lowest total score and therefore the highest ranking of alternatives.

Deschutes River Trail South UGB Bridge and Trail

Options

Description/Issues:

• Trail extends from River Rim Drive along an existing public trail through Elk Meadow in the River Rim neighborhood.

• Route uses the existing trail through the River Rim wildlife corridor to go up and over the Cinder Cone Natural Area.

• Trail enters private property before accessing an unimproved section of Buck Canyon Road.

• Route continues along Buck Canyon to Rusty Canyon (improved) then to River Bend Drive (improved).

• A 25’-wide public access easement is used to access the 20’-wide public (“fishing access only”) easement at the river.

• Bridge is located just south of the 25’-wide public access easement.

• Bridge crossing involves both the federal Wild and Scenic River and State Scenic Waterway.

• Construction Cost Estimate - $441,330

Option 1 – South River Bend Drive Bridge

1D) Unimproved County Road

1A) Existing Public Use Trail (RiverRim)

1B) Public Park (BPRD)

1C) Private Property (need easement)

1E) Improved County Road

1F) 25’ Public Access Easement

(River Bend Estates)

1G) 20’ Public Easement for Fishing Access Only

(River Bend Estates)

Option 1

River width Greater than 165’

Proposed Critical Spotted Frog Habitat (between green lines)

Improved Public Roads

25’ Public Access Easement

(River Bend Estates)

20’ Public Easement for Fishing Access Only

Option 1

• Trail extends from River Rim Drive along existing public trail through Elk Meadow in the River Rim neighborhood.

• Route uses the existing trail through the River Rim wildlife corridor to go up and over the Cinder Cone Natural Area.

• Trail enters private property before accessing an unimproved section of Buck Canyon Road.

• Route turns off of Buck Canyon to use an informal trail alignment across private property then to a gravel public road (driveway), then to River Bend

Drive (improved).

• Path crosses one private parcel before accessing a public USFS parcel.

• Owner of the parcel has submitted written comments in opposition to the public trail crossing their property and having a bridge on the USFS site.

• Route then uses the 20’-wide public (“fishing access only”) easement at the river to reach the bridge site.

• Bridge crossing involves both the federal Wild and Scenic River and State Scenic Waterway.

• Construction Cost Estimate - $472,070

Option 2A – North River Bend Drive Bridge (Non-Easement Trail)

2D) Unimproved

2A) Existing Public Use Trail (RiverRim)

2B) Public Park (BPRD)

2C) Private Property (need easement)

2E) Private Property (need easement)

2J) 20’ Public Easement for Fishing Access Only

(River Bend Estates)

2F) Improved County Road

(gravel)

2G) Improved County Road

(paved)

2H) Private Property (need easement)

2I) Public Land

(USFS)

Option 2A

Option 2A than 165’

Proposed Critical Spotted Frog Habitat (between green lines)

Public Road (Buck Canyon)

Private Property (need easement)

20’ Public Easement for Fishing Access Only

Public Land (USFS)

• Trail extends from River Rim Drive along existing public trail through Elk Meadow in the River Rim neighborhood.

• Route uses the existing trail through the River Rim wildlife corridor to go up and over the Cinder Cone Natural Area.

• Trail enters private property before accessing an unimproved section of Buck Canyon Road.

• Route turns off of Buck Canyon to use an informal trail alignment across private property then to a gravel public road (driveway), then to

River Bend Drive (improved).

• A 25’-wide public access easement is used to access the 20’-wide public (“fishing access only”) easement at the river.

• Route then uses the 20’-wide public (“fishing access only”) easement at the river to reach the bridge site.

• Bridge crossing involves both the federal Wild and Scenic River and State Scenic Waterway.

• Construction Cost Estimate - $469,030

Option 2B – North River Bend Drive Bridge (Easement Trail)

2D) Unimproved

2A) Existing Public Use Trail (RiverRim)

2B) Public Park (BPRD)

2C) Private Property (need easement)

2H) 20’ Public Easement for Fishing Access Only

(River Bend Estates)

2F) Improved County Road

(gravel)

2G) 25’ Public Access Easement

(River Bend Estates)

Option 2B

2E) Private Property (need easement)

Option 2B than 165’

Proposed Critical Spotted Frog Habitat (between green lines)

Public Road (Buck Canyon)

20’ Public Easement for Fishing Access Only (River Bend Estates)

25’ Public Access Easement

• Trail extends from River Rim Drive along existing public trail through Elk Meadow in the River Rim neighborhood.

• Route uses the existing trail through the River Rim wildlife corridor to go up and over the Cinder Cone Natural Area.

• Trail enters private property before accessing an unimproved section of Buck Canyon Road.

• Route turns off of Buck Canyon to use an informal trail alignment across private property then to a gravel public road (driveway), then to

River Bend Drive (improved).

• Path crosses two private parcels before accessing the bridge site on the USFS parcel.

• Owners of both parcels have submitted written comments in opposition to having the public trail cross their property.

• Bridge crossing involves both the federal Wild and Scenic River and State Scenic Waterway.

• Route does not use any River Bend Estates public access easements

• Construction Cost Estimate - $449,110

Option 3A – USFS Bridge (River Rim Trail)

3D) Unimproved

3A) Existing Public Use Trail (RiverRim)

3B) Public Park (BPRD)

3C) Private Property (need easement)

3F) Improved County Road

(gravel)

3G) Improved County Road

(paved)

3J) Private Property (need easement)

3I) Public Land

(USFS)

3H) Private Property (need easement)

Option 3A

2E) Private Property (need easement)

Option 3A

River width Greater than 165’ (red cross-hatch)

Proposed Critical Spotted Frog Habitat (between green lines)

Public Road (Buck Canyon)

City of Bend mapped wetland

Private Property (need easement)

Private Property (need easement)

Public Land

(USFS)

City Limits

(UGB)

• Trail extends from River Rim Park through two private properties (one ownership) to the USFS public parcel.

• Route includes a new connector trail to the Cinder Cone Natural Area.

• New trails stay within the undevelopable portions of private property that are City-zoned “areas of special interest”.

• Bridge crossing involves both the federal Wild and Scenic River and State Scenic Waterway.

• Trails cross the “Helen M. Thompson Wildlife Refuge”.

• Property owner has submitted written comments stating unwillingness to have bridge or trail located on their property.

• Construction Cost Estimate - $486,360

Option 3B – USFS Bridge (Thompson Trail)

• Trail extends from River Rim Park directly to a new bridge at the park.

• New trail on the west side of the river crosses three private parcels and stays within the undevelopable portions that are City-zoned “areas of special interest”.

• Route transitions to Sunrise Village Homeowners Association (HOA) common area and existing private trail.

• Sunrise Village has submitted written comments stating unwillingness to have a public trail located anywhere on their property.

• Bridge crossing involves only the State Scenic Waterway.

• Route transitions to private sidewalks in the Braeburn Subdivision.

• From Braeburn, the route joins the existing public Haul Road Trail before meeting the USFS trail system south of the Entrada Lodge.

• Construction Cost Estimate - $245,320

Option 4 – River Rim Park Bridge

4F) Public Trail on Private Property

4A) Public Park (BPRD)

4B) Private Property within City ASI (need easement)

4C) Private Trail (Sunrise Village HOA, need easement)

4D) Private Streets (Braeburn HOA, need easement)

4E) Public Trail (BPRD) Option 4

4G) Connection to USFS trail is 1 mile from river

Option 4

Greater than 165’ (red cross-hatch)

Proposed Critical Spotted Frog Habitat (between green lines)

Private Property (need easement)

River Rim Park

(BPRD)

Private Property (need easement)

Private Property (need easement) Private Property, Sunrise Village HOA (need easement)

City of Bend River Area of Significant

Interest (ASI) (purple shading)

• Trail extends from River Canyon Natural Area Park along the COID private access road to a new bridge just downstream of the canal intake.

• New trail on the west side of the river uses Sunrise Village HOA common area and stays within the City-zoned “area of special interest”.

• Route transitions to Sunrise Village existing private trail.

• Sunrise Village has submitted written comments stating unwillingness to have a public trail located anywhere on their property.

• Bridge crossing does not impact the federal Wild and Scenic River or the State Scenic Waterway.

• Route transitions to private sidewalks in the Braeburn Subdivision.

• From Braeburn, the route joins the existing public Haul Road Trail before meeting the USFS trail system south of the Entrada Lodge.

• Construction Cost Estimate - $243,040

Option 5 – COID Intake Bridge

5E) Public Trail on Private Property

5A) Private property (COID, need easement)

5B) Private Trail (Sunrise Village HOA, need easement)

5C) Private Streets (Braeburn HOA, need easement)

5D) Public Trail (BPRD)

5F) Connection to USFS trail is 1 mile from river

Option 5

Option 5

Greater than 165’ (red cross-hatch)

Proposed Critical Spotted Frog Habitat (between green lines)

River Canyon Park

(BPRD)

Private Property, COID access road (need easement)

Private Property, Sunrise Village HOA

(need easement)

City of Bend River Area of Significant

Interest (ASI) (purple shading)

COID Canal Intake, river downstream is not a federal or state scenic waterway