Embracing emission-free mobility: Ukiah's Redwood Trail initiative
At a glance
The Ukiah Great Redwood Trail, spanning two miles, is a dedicated shared-use path designed to enhance connectivity within the City of Ukiah, located in Mendocino County, CA. This trail features dedicated pedestrian and cycle lanes, offering a safe and sustainable mode of transportation through residential and commercial areas. Serving as a vital link between communities, the trail provides a pathway for outdoor recreation and an emissions-free transit option, contributing to a cleaner urban environment.
At the heart of this project lies a commitment to community values and identity. The community's input and involvement were crucial in leveraging cost-effective strategies that stimulate the local economy. GHD spearheaded the coordination efforts throughout the trail's development, facilitating a collaborative design charrette to identify and prioritize key project elements. Through meticulous coordination and effective communication, GHD ensured a seamless execution of the project, mitigating schedule delays and minimizing costly change orders.
The challenge
The trail project was initiated in 1999 when the City of Ukiah identified it as a key objective in the Bicycle Master Plan. The plan envisions a sustainable pathway that not only offers a transit alternative but also serves as a serene haven to commune with nature.
At the offset, two distinct challenges were set out to be overcome. Firstly, the design of the Doolin Creek crossing presented a formidable obstacle due to its potential environmental impacts and the regulatory hurdles associated with permitting and remediation. Secondly, the south bank of the Orrs Creek bridge crossing posed a significant scour potential, threatening the stability of bridge footings. Addressing this concern necessitated obtaining permits from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Water Board, specifically related to the Lake and Streambed Alteration (LSA) Agreement. Given that the top of the bank exceeded the Ordinary High Water (OHW) mark, swift acquisition of an LSA was imperative.
In addition to these challenges, the GHD team faced the formidable task of coordinating multiple stakeholders, adhering to stringent design and permitting requirements, fostering community involvement, mitigating potential environmental impacts, and adhering to budget and schedule constraints.
Our response
Throughout all three phases, we meticulously coordinated and maintained open communication channels with the city, sub-consultants, contractors, and various other project stakeholders. Our approach prioritized incorporating community feedback into the design process while adhering to the City's financial constraints, timeline, and overarching project objectives. GHD delivered innovative and technically feasible designs that sidestepped potential environmental ramifications and streamlined permitting and remediation processes while adhering to budget-conscious design principles.
The project boasted several distinctive features, including flatbed rail car bridges, rain gardens, a rainwater-harvesting tank, safety fencing, pocket parks, and informative signage. Notably, our design incorporated provisions to accommodate future rail services and preemptively addressed potential permitting challenges by strategically positioning the Doolin Creek bridge beyond the top of the bank vertically and horizontally. This strategic placement ensured minimal disruption to the creek's side slopes, obviating the need for additional environmental permitting.
A key aspect of our design strategy involved implementing a long-span bridge with a deeper foundation to mitigate the potential scour impact on the bridge's structural integrity. This approach not only safeguarded the surrounding ecosystem and native flora and fauna but also yielded additional ecological benefits.
The impact
The inauguration of the Ukiah Great Redwood Trail signifies the establishment of a crucial non-motorized transit corridor running along the city's north-south axis, seamlessly threading through residential and commercial areas. Crafted to cater to pedestrians and cyclists, this trail network advocates for active transportation, providing an alternative mode of travel that diminishes dependence on cars, mitigates emissions, and encourages healthier lifestyles.
Completing the initial segment of The Great Redwood Trail in Mendocino County links hundreds of miles of additional Northern California trails and serves multifaceted purposes. It aims to bolster public safety, promote cycling and walking as convenient modes of transportation and recreation, curtail greenhouse gas emissions, nurture community values and identity by accommodating diverse user groups, and foster regional connectivity.
The project has been honored with the ASCE San Francisco Section and Region 9 (California) awards for its notable advancements in urban mobility and sustainability within the Bikeways and Trails category.