PAGE 10A • Thursday, March 6, 2014 • Whitman County Gazette

Plan for John Wayne Trailheaded for state parks board

A plan for development of most of the John WayneTrail across the north section of Whitman County will be onthe formal agenda of the state Parks and RecreationCommission March 27 in Chehalis. The planning projectbegan in the late fall of 2011 with hearings at Malden,Rosalia and Tekoa, all towns which are located along thetrail which was formerly the Milwaukee Railroad.

The project, listed as Iron Horse Palouse, is includedon the state parks agenda as updating the Iron HorseMaster Plan which refers to the name of the trail on thewest side of the state from North Bend to Ellensburg andthe Columbia River at Beverly.

The plan here involves 34 miles on the eastern end ofthe trail from the Idaho state line west through Tekoa,Rosalia and Malden.

Bill Fraser, state parks planner located at EastWenatchee, conducted the three hearings along the traillate in 2011 for the project. Aimed at getting ideas from res-idents on development of the trail, the hearings also pro-vided an opportunity for neighbors of the trail to vent someof their frustrations and objections for the trail.

Fraser is now semi-retired, and the trail planningproject was handed off to Jamie Van de Vanter, a stateparks planner who has since re-located from the EastWenatchee office to the state parks office in Burlington.

Van de Vanter said his last major work on the planinvolved conducting an inventory of the 34-mile segment.He noted the project remained on a shelf for about a yearafter it was assigned to him.

Van de Vanter said Fraser opted to use a planninggrant which was issued through the state Recreation andConservation Office on the 34 miles on this end of the trailbecause the right-of-way was all owned by state parks.

Some Milwaukee segments along Rock Lake and inAdams County are now privately owned.

The state purchased the Milwaukee right-of-way fromthe trustee for the railroad’s bankruptcy in 1981, but the

privately-owned segments evolved from a lengthy suit inWhitman County Superior Court. Under the court ruling,some property owners adjoining the trail were allowedownership of the railroad land under reversion clauses inthe original right-of-way agreements granted toMilwaukee by property owners when the railroad wasbuilt.

Van de Vanter said one of the features in the plan isthe development of trailheads along the trail for parkingvehicles and horse trailers. The trail now lacks placeswhere hikers, horse riders and bicycle riders can park vehi-cles when they commute to the trail.

Fraser’s plan located trailhead sites for parking atMalden, Rosalia, Pandora and Tekoa.

One of the topics from the hearing at Tekoa was theneed for a deck for the high Milwaukee trestle which cross-es Highway 27 at the north end of the bridge. The trestlecrossing was barricaded at both ends and railroad tiesremoved.

Eastbound riders on the trail now detour around thehigh trestle via the Lone Pine Road which intersects withthe former UP railroad right-of-way along Highway 27.The UP right-of-way allows riders to go under the hightrestle and arrive at the Iron Horse riding arena which hasserved as an unofficial trailhead at Tekoa for years.

Fraser in the hearing at Tekoa noted the state hasaccomplished a decking operation on a trestle in a similarsituation on the Bickleton Trail, but the cost of such a proj-ect is prohibitive for present day park budgets.

Development of a trailhead at the riding arena atTekoa was also discussed. Fraser later told the Gazetteobtaining ownership of the arena property was complicat-ed by its one-time use by the railroad.

Van de Vanter last week said the plan for the trailheadat Tekoa now calls for acquisition of property east of thetrestle. A concept drawing of the trailhead includes devel-opment on each side of Washington Street.

Riders on the trail now use Washington Street to getback on the trail after making a stop at the riding arena onthe lower UP route.

Tekoa Mayor John Jaeger last week noted a plan for astate trailhead on Washington Street should also be com-bined with a plan to cover the trestle so riders could remainon grade going either direction.

If the Washington trailhead gets developed and thetrestle remains closed, riders would have to go past theIron Horse Arena.

Jaeger added one hang up with the Iron Horse site ispossible contamination on the ground when the site yearsago was the location of UP shops.

Two projects for the trail have been funded in the stateparks’ present two-year budget. One is a $331,000 sum forgravel surfacing of nine miles of the trail between Maldenand Rosalia. That will involve placing rock gravel on thetrail over the rock ballast which was under the railroad.

Also included in the project will be grading down theends of the trail at road crossings in five locations. Thesteep trail grades remain at crossings where railroad tres-tles, which took the railroad over the roads, were removed.Trail users now normally use informal side roads off therailroad grades to drop to the level of the roads grade oneach side.

The concept for the Rosalia trailhead will be along thetrail on the west side of town between Gashous Road andSeventh Street. The plan there calls for grading the trailbanks where former railroad crossings were removed.

The trailhead plan for Malden locates the trailhead atthe former Milwaukee site off Railroad Street.

Part of the plan involves “phasing” in the projects forfunding in the state budget. The Malden-Rosalia projectand acquisition of property for the Tekoa trailhead are inthe present two-year state budget.

Van de Vanter said the Malden and Rosalia trailheadplans have been recommended for earlier phases for fund-ing in the trail plan. Development of the trailhead at Tekoahas been moved to a later phase pending completion ofacquisition from present funds.

The state web site for the plan lists letters and com-ments on the plan. Included are letters of concerns. Amongthe letters are those from Rosalia Mayor Nan Konishi, theBack Country Horsemen of Washington and the JohnWayne Pioneer Wagons and Riders Association, the groupwhich annually makes a ride on the trail and appears inthe Rosalia Battle Days parade.

Among random comments include a request that thestate spend money on highway plans and let trail riders“rough it like the pioneers did.”

Another comment from a trail neighbor notes not verymany people ride it, and another “hell no” comment saidmoney should be spent on Whitman County’s gravel roads.

The Rosalia Volunteer Firefighters Association would like to thank the following individuals and businesses

that contributed to the 2013 Fund Drive.

Barbara BabbLoretta BabbMrs. Harvey BafusBank of FairfieldWilliam & Cheryl BatnumBothman Bros.Barbara BrownJoy BuchholtzBudding Rose Art

GalleryDel CarmanChaju Land Co.Mike Clausen Ranch, JVMike & Regina ClausenWayne & Mildred

ClausenCloudburst FarmsCO-AG ProducersBrian & Paige CollinsSaundra CrombieCrop Production

Services, RosailaLloyd CrowlDale & Marilyn CrutcherJoyce Darou

Mike DayDowling Bros. IncDennis DowlingRoy & Carly DubeLewis FickenMarcy FisherLillian FultonGoldsworthy Ranch, Inc.Bob & Genie GoldworthyDave HanonBryon & Viola

HeinemannHenning Family Farms,

Inc.Gene & Gwelda HenningTom & Peggy HenningBL&D Henning, LLCBruce & Dan HenningWilliam & Diane HenryElton & Diane HillWilliam & Alice HofmannJay & Carol HollingRoy & Faye HuckabyJerry's Farm Supply, LLC

Joffery & Catherine Jones

KLC, Inc.Ron & Sharon KileMary KingBob & Carol KjackGlen & Roberta

LamoureauxLMT Farms, Inc.Don & Judy LittletonBob MaleyJudy MaleyMike McCaneL.A. "Larry" McKayLloyd & Maxine MorganGerald & Carol NaughtRuth PadockArlin & Cindy PaulsonWilbur & Elna Anne

PaulsonCharles & Julie PittmannPatricia PorterDave & Ruthmary

PrestonCharlie & Jan Reed

Pamela RichRosalia Gifted Granny'sRosalia Lions ClubRosalia MarketRosalia Senior Citizens

CouncilJ & J Schmitz, JVJoe & Jeanie SchmitzRudolph SchroederSchu Farms, Inc.Richard SchuJanet SiegelAnthony & Carol SimsJohn & Mary Kaye

StelzerDale & Neva TaylorLavonne ThomasThorn Creek FarmsTerri & Leigh TicknerMark & Jan TollettBob & June WallaceLisa WeberErma Jean WidmanDr. Mary Widman, DMVJohn & Jerri Widman

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Call the Whitman County Gazette(509) 397-4333

This conceptual plan for a trailhead at Tekoa is among illustra-tions on the “Iron Horse Palouse” plan which will be presented tothe State Parks and Recreation Board at its March meeting.Washington Street in north Tekoa separates the two segments ofthe trailhead. Each is illustrated with a turn loop at the end. TheJohn Wayne Trail, the former Milwaukee railroad right-of-way,

runs along the bottom of the trailhead sketch. Plans for this sitehave been questioned because the Tekoa trestle, located tothe left, has been barricaded because it lacks trail surfacing.Tekoa’s Iron Horse riding arena, located on the former UP right-of-way, has served for years as the unofficial trailhead for thetrail at Tekoa.

Project began in 2011 with three local hearings

Trailhead sketch for Tekoa in state park plan

Don Hoch Director

STATE OF WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON STATE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

EASTERN REGION CAPITAL PROGRAM 270 9th Street NE, Suite 200, East Wenatchee, WA 98802-7674 • (509) 665-4343 • Fax (509) 886-0478

www.parks.wa.gov

June 4, 2014 The Honorable Nanette Konishi Mayor of Rosalia P.O. Box 277 110 W. 5th Street Rosalia, WA 99170 RE: Public Review Comment Letter Response – Iron Horse State Park Master Plan Addendum

Iron Horse Palouse, Malden to Idaho Border

Dear Mayor Konishi: I wanted to thank you, Jenna McDonald, Town of Rosalia Clerk/Treasurer, and Kathy Wilkes, Rosalia Volunteer, for meeting with Chris Guidotti, John Tillison and myself on May 20, 2014 to review concerns expressed by your public review comment letters (Attachment 1) associated with the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission approval of the above noted Project. Specifically, we discussed concerns by you, the McDonald’s, and one other adjacent property owner to the proposed Rosalia Trailhead, and were requested to evaluate two alternative Rosalia Trailhead site locations. Please review: Conceptual Site Plan A – Trail Access at Gashouse Road; Site Plan B – Rosalia Trailhead Exit at 7th Street West Site Plan; Conceptual Site Plan C – Alternative Rodeo Grounds Trailhead; Conceptual Site Plan D – Alternative Malden Road Trailhead; and Site Plan E – Proposed Rosalia Trailhead Site Plan (all included in Attachment 2), along with the following comments: Conceptual Site Plan A – Trail Access at Gashouse Road: The plan includes the trail, safety measures for the Gashouse Road trail crossing, ADA-only road and parking for upper-level trail access, temporary parking for Phase 1–Malden to Rosalia Trail development (until trailhead development occurs), and delineation of the McDonald’s driveway with gate, barrier fencing and signage. Please note that it appears that portions of the McDonald’s driveway may be on State Parks’ property and should be further reviewed.

Site Plan B – Rosalia Trailhead Exit at 7th Street W: To address the property owner’s concern (directly east of the trail) with adjacent trailhead development, the Site Plan graphically represents the road alignment, grading, and clearing limits shown on the Rosalia Trailhead Site Plan, Sheet 4. Please note that approximately half of the berm on the east side of the trail (former bridge abutment) will remain undisturbed, leaving much of the existing vegetation to provide a visual buffer between the trail and adjacent residence. Conceptual Site Plan C – Alternative Rodeo Grounds Trailhead: It appears there is adequate room to build a trailhead in the large open lawn area south of the rodeo arena. However, State Parks does not own this property or trail access to the John Wayne Pioneer Trail (JWPT). Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) requires Control and Tenure for grant funding and trail access across the narrow 1st Street W Pine Creek Bridge would not be safe without widening due to liability for injury. A partnership agreement combining resources of State Parks, the Town of Rosalia and the Rodeo Grounds is a possibility requiring further review with State Parks’ Partnership & Planning and Property Management Programs, which would include enforcement of the State Parks’ Discover Pass funding program. Conceptual Site Plan D – Alternative Malden Road Trailhead: It appears a trailhead could be built at this location, but would be subject to further review of possible wetlands, farm land encroachment and other potential land use and environmental issues. The site is removed from the Town of Rosalia, which does not meet one of the main criteria developed in locating the trailheads within the Study Area Trail Corridor. The trailhead location criteria include the following stipulations: a) must be on property owned by State Parks, b) must be large enough to accommodate trailhead components, c) must have safe egress to and from public roads, and d) must be in town for economic benefit of local community and trail users. Logistically, the alternative trailhead site is further removed from the funded Phase 1–Malden to Rosalia Trail Development (ending at the north side of Gashous Road), providing a large gap between the trail and future trailhead development. In addition, there are bridge abutments on the south side of 7th Street W and Bruce Road that require significant re-grading with costs for future funding. Site Plan E – Proposed Rosalia Trailhead Site Plan The proposed Rosalia Trailhead Site Plan a) is designed to meet the maximum 10% slope grading requirements for trail and trailhead access road, b) is large enough to accommodate trailhead components with nice views of the town, c) is located within the town for economic benefit, d) is land owned by State Parks, e) has safe egress from Gashous Road and 7th Street W, and f) provides economy of costs with trail development required at this location, regardless of trailhead development at another location. Although the trail and trailhead access road are combined at this location, all other portions of the trail will be gated to prevent vehicular access, meeting the intent of the “non-motorized trail”. Combined access also occurs to a lesser extent at the Malden, Pandora, and Tekoa Trailheads.

Based on Conceptual Site Plan A – Trail Access to Gashous Road, with further definition by trail development, barrier fencing and signage, previous issues from use (and blocking) of the McDonald’s driveway by trail users should be further resolved. If adjustments are necessary, State Parks will be more than willing to work with the McDonald’s and other property owners along the trail. Finally, based on previous trail projects, State Parks has experienced significantly less private property trespassing issues with trail development and increased recreation use resulting in stewardship activities by trail users that enjoy the trail and are interested in caring for it. Please contact me if you have any questions. Sincerely,

James S. Van De Vanter, RLA, ASLA NW Region Capital Program – Parks Planner Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 220 North Walnut Street Burlington, WA 98233 (360) 755-2839 Jamie.VanDeVanter@parks.wa.gov CC: George A. Rapozo, Jr. – Eastern Region Construction Project Coordinator 4 Nikki Fields – Acting Partnerships and Planning Manager

Tom Ernsberger – Eastern Region Manager Chris Guidotti – Riverside State Park Area Manager John Tillison – JWPT & CPT Park Ranger 2