Connecting Citrus Heights: The Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail
At a glance
The Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail (ACCT) (formerly called the Electric Greenway Trail) is a 2.9-mile multi-use path linking Arcade Creek Park Preserve to Wachtel Way. It links Citrus Heights neighbourhoods to eight parks, multiple schools and the Sunrise Marketplace. This transformative project significantly enhances community connectivity by providing improved access to residences, schools, commercial centres, and community parks. The pathway follows the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) power line corridor, an area previously used primarily to maintain the power lines and largely undeveloped. By converting this underutilized property into an active transportation corridor, GHD assisted the City of Citrus Heights to create their vision of enhanced community connectivity and access, activating the space for the lasting benefit of the community.
The challenge
The City of Citrus Heights aimed to enhance community connectivity, safety, and accessibility through a regional trail system, which would also encourage active recreation. To make this desire a reality, the City successfully secured funding from California’s Active Transportation Program (ATP) for the ACCT project, which funded the preliminary engineering, environmental clearance, final design, and construction, making the project possible. The City also needed to deliver the project within a set schedule to continue to receive ATP funding for each phase of the project. Additionally, the master plan included linking the trail with various amenities across eight parks, of which five required updated master plans.
The trail alignment was also proposed to run along SMUD easements between many private properties, requiring relocation and adjustments to private fencing. It also was to connect to a new apartment complex under development, connect to schools, and cross various City and Sacramento County roads. This necessitated coordination with multiple local agencies, stakeholders, property owners, school districts, the police department and utility providers. To accomplish this, the City partnered with two park districts, the school district and the district’s Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Sacramento County, and SMUD.
Our response
The GHD team led the preliminary engineering and environmental clearance phase, encompassing alternative development, environmental document preparation, technical studies, right-of-way identification, safety and floodplain analysis, public outreach, utility coordination and surveying. We completed project approval and environmental documentation (PAED) for the 2.9-mile multi-use trail in the fall of 2019. As part of developing and analyzing alternatives, we performed technical studies and analyses of safety issues, the floodplain, and the hydraulics and hydrology of the two pedestrian bridges. Our roles also included identifying right-of-way needs, coordinating with utilities, and surveying.
The community was concerned about the project, and their voices needed to be heard, comments addressed, and the trail's design enhanced through this input. Our team focused on a proactive and effective public engagement strategy to help the community understand the project and resolve any concerns. In addition to holding three public meetings and about a dozen meetings with stakeholders and property owners, we created a video that described the project and its benefits to garner community support.
The video outlined the project's benefits, featuring local officials and school representatives endorsing the initiative. This video was made available on a public website and featured by local news outlets.
In the next phase, GHD advanced the trail design, including drainage, retaining wall structures, and amenities like park benches, trash receptacles, pet waste receptacles, wayfinding signs and lighting. During the final design phase, we refined the trail and amenity designs to include two bicycle roundabouts, two pedestrian bridges, midblock and signalized roadway crossing, which included a Pedestrian Signal and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), safety lighting, CCTV cameras for added safety, drainage facilities, retaining walls and various amenities including park benches, trash receptacles, pet waste receptacles, and wayfinding signs. GHD also managed utility and right-of-way engineering while providing public outreach and inter-agency coordination. This led to the development of final bidding and construction documents.
Citrus Heights Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail Project - Informational Video
Fun fact
GHD also enlisted the assistance of an incredibly talented designer to provide multiple options for their new trail sign with variations of names. Arcade-Cripple Creek trail was the winner with the following design, which can now be seen along the trail.
The impact
We played a pivotal role in designing and aligning the trail with the City’s master plans; bringing the City’s dream to life. Key trail features include pedestrian bridges over Arcade and Cripple Creek, bike-friendly roundabouts, roadway bulb-outs with traffic signals and beacons, wayfinding signage and enhanced lighting and aesthetics.
This transformative project removed many barriers to walking and biking, fostering a cohesive community with improved access to residences, schools, commercial centers, businesses and seven community parks along the corridor.
Notably, the trail offers a safe route to Woodside K-8 and adjacent schools, reducing students' interaction with motor vehicles.
GHD's expertise enabled the City to elevate walking and biking infrastructure while prioritizing safety and community connectivity.