bend park and recreation district drt south ugb bridge and ... · option presentation 4/8/15 . ......

Bend Park and Recreation District

DRT – South UGB Bridge and Trail Option Presentation

4/8/15

DRT – South UGB Bridge and Trail Option Evaluation

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. BPRD Bond Measure 9-86 was approved by District voters in 2012 and included the improvement and completion of the missing segments of the Deschutes River Trail through the Bend Urban Area. This project is one of those missing segments.

1/27/15

Project Purpose 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 generally 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.

1/27/15

Evaluation - Why are we looking at options? An evaluation of multiple concepts is a requirement of any federal environmental process if the bridge crosses the Wild and Scenic River upstream from the Bend City Limits, or for a Special Use Permit that would be required by the US Forest Service if any portion of the project would impact federal lands in the Deschutes National Forest. The Special Use Permit must be consistent with the current Deschutes National Forest Plan and the 1996 Upper Deschutes River Comprehensive Resource Management Plan (UDCMP). Once there is a preferred alternative, BPRD would submit an application to the USFS for a Special Use Permit if the preferred option impacts federal land. The USFS uses specific criteria to deem the application complete, which includes analyzing other reasonable alternatives off of federal land, before a preferred alternative was selected. Once the application is approved, BPRD could then proceed with engineering and environmental analysis. Working with a Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC), BPRD staff and consultants developed a set of criteria to help evaluate various bridge and trail concepts to meet the federal process. The criterion compare how well the proposed options meet the Project Purpose and Need. While this level of analysis was done without the benefit of detailed engineering and surveying (which will come later), the USFS has stated that it does provide an adequate basis for determining a preferred option to move forward for a Special Use Permit. The analysis includes 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, more detailed engineering and environmental evaluations will take place on that option.

Evaluation - Why are we doing this if new bridges are not allowed to cross this part of the river? A bridge in this general location has been identified in planning documents going back to 1995. The UDCMP was adopted in 1996 and included interim guidelines on how to manage the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers and the Upper Deschutes River. Those guidelines specified that new crossings of the river were to be discouraged. The federal Wild and Scenic river in this location has no bridge prohibition. Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) Section 736-040 that established the Oregon Park and Recreation Department’s (OPRD) management of the State Scenic Waterway Program, included a complete prohibition of new bridges and crossings of the river in this Upper Deschutes specific location as well as over the Metolius River. These are the only two sections with this prohibition in the state. There is an OAR process to work around this prohibition, but while it will take time and legislative action, we feel that working with OPRD it will be possible to amend the OAR to allow for non-vehicular bridges, and it is worth the effort to try and establish this important river crossing.

Deschutes River Trail South UGB Bridge

and Trail Range of Option

Combinations

Each Bridge and Trail Option Identified on the

Following Pages was Evaluated Against an Initial Set of 13 Criteria that was

Later Expanded to 23

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


Option 1

Option 1 – South River Bend Drive Bridge

River Rim Dr.

Cinder Cone

River

Length: 1.7 miles Elevation Gain: 283’ Loss: 311’ Max Slope: 33% Average Slope: 6.2%

River width Greater than 165’

Proposed Critical Spotted Frog Habitat (between green lines)

Improved Public Roads

25’ Public Access Easement


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

Option 1





2E) Private Property (need easement)

2J) 20’ Public Easement for Fishing Access Only


2F) Improved County Road

(gravel)

2G) Improved County Road

(paved)

2H) Private Property (need easement)

2I) Public Land (USFS)

Option 2A

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

River Rim Dr.

Cinder Cone

River


Option 2A



Public Road (Buck Canyon)

Private Property (need easement)


Public Land (USFS)





2H) 20’ Public Easement for Fishing Access Only



(gravel)

2G) 25’ Public Access Easement


Option 2B


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

River Rim Dr.

Cinder Cone

River


Option 2B





25’ Public Access Easement







(gravel)

3G) Improved County Road

(paved)

3J) Private Property (need easement)

3I) Public Land (USFS)

3H) Private Property (need easement)

Option 3A


Option 3A – USFS Bridge (River Rim Trail)

River

Cinder Cone

River Rim Dr.


Option 3A

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



City of Bend mapped wetland


Public Land (USFS)

City Limits (UGB)

Option 3B – USFS Bridge (Thompson Trail)

River

River ASI

River Rim Park

Length: 0.8 miles Elevation Gain: 94’ Loss: 90’ Max Slope: 22% Average Slope: 4%

Option 3B



Helen M. Thompson Wildlife Refuge



Public Land (USFS)

City Limits (UGB)

3A) Existing Public Use Trail (River Rim)



3E) Helen M. Thompson

Wildlife Refuge

Option 3C

3D) Private Property (need easement)

Option 3C – Thompson Alternative

River Rim Trail

Cinder Cone

River


Option 3C – Connection to Potential Parking (@ Buck Canyon)

3C intersection

Possible Parking

River


Option 3C



Helen M. Thompson Wildlife Refuge



Public Land (USFS)

City Limits (UGB)

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 – River Rim Park Bridge Length: 2.7 miles Elevation Gain: 303’ Loss: 325’ Max Slope: 43% Average Slope: 4.2%

River Rim Park

Sunrise Village

Haul Road Trail

USFS Land

River

Option 4




River Rim Park (BPRD)


Private Property (need easement) Private Property,

Sunrise Village HOA (need easement)

City of Bend River Area of Significant

Interest (ASI) (purple shading)

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 – COID Intake Bridge

River Canyon Park

Sunrise Village

Haul Road Trail

USFS Land

River


Option 5



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

Deschutes River Trail South UGB Bridge and Trail

Possible Timeline (assumes federal process)

bend park and recreation district drt south ugb bridge and ... · option presentation 4/8/15 . ......

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