SCHOOLYARD PROPERTY TRAIL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

PREPARED FOR:

Laramie BikeNetMr. Evan O’Toole, Director

[email protected]

PREPARED BY:

Scott Linnenburger Kay-Linn Enterprises

[email protected]

SCHOOLYARD PROPERTY

TRAIL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Project Activities......................................................................................1

Opportunities/Constraints......................................................................2

Potential Trail System.............................................................................5

Trail Specifications..................................................................................9

Recommended Phasing.........................................................................13

Cost Opinion..........................................................................................14

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

LARAMIE BIKE NETSCHOOLYARD TRAIL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

FIELD INVESTIGATION/TRAIL DESIGNLaramie Bike Net engaged Kay-Linn Enterprises to provide planning and design services related to the development of a shared-use trail system on an approximately 600-acre property on the east side of Laramie being referred to as the Schoolyard site.

Kay-Linn Enterprises’ Scott Linnenburger, mobilized to Laramie in late August, 2017 to undertake field investigation and sustainable trail corridor design for a diverse, sustainable, cost-effective shared-use trail system in on the Schoolyard site. Kay-Linn spent six days on the ground in total designing sustainable trail corridors and a diverse trail system. Trail corridor locations were ribbon flagged (bidirectional trails) and stake flagged (directional trails), and GPS tracks were gathered for each trail. The first trail to be constructed (see photo below and Recommended Phasing) was stake flagged to demonstrate the rolling contour trail development process around the ribbon flagged trail corridor. The trail corridor indicates a sustainable alignment with an approximate 50’ buffer (25 lateral feet on each side of the flag/track) to allow for field adjustment of the constructed trail alignment

During the field investigation/trail design, Kay-Linn was able to witness current recreational use on the property, including access patterns, dog walking, mountain biking, trail running and hiking use of the existing double track roads and minimally developed singletrack trails on the property. Kay-Linn interfaced with Laramie Bike Net and Wyo Trails regarding the types of trail experiences the organization desired at the site and led a tour of the developing trail corridors with interested Laramie Bike Net leaders. This short report has been developed to provide a description of the designed trail system, specifications for the trails, and recommendations for project implementation phasing.

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P R O J E C T A C T I V I T I E S


Ribbon flags

Stake flags/trail alignment

SUSTAINABLE TRAIL CORRIDORSTrail sustainability is a multi-faceted concept. Natural surface trails must be durable and resist the erosive forces of water and human use. Through design, trails must also minimize potential conflicts between trail users and provide a variety of experiences in an easily navigable system. Trails must also be created in a manner that is manageable by the public entity and volunteers and their stewardship and doesn’t conflict with other goals for the area.

Physical SustainabilityThe existing double track roads and singletrack trails on the Schoolyard site provide a close-to-town trail experience. Unfortunately much of the trail system is beginning to erode under increased use due to the trail alignments and gradients. Continued use of the existing trail system will lead to increased erosion over time until a condition is reached where the riding experience significantly suffers and many riders abandon using the trail. This has already occurred in many locations where deepening ruts have forced trail users into developing one or more parallel trails, which will suffer the same fate.

Most of the durability issues with existing trails on the site are a result of utilizing historic double track routes that were not planned for recreation purposes. These routes follow the lay of the land and were developed to expedite vehicular travel over the property. As the property has few steep gradients, except for the prominent canyon north of the water tower, travel patterns often routed straight up mellow hills. This fall-line alignment concentrates water in the depressions of the trail and eventually erode these routes. Similarly, new singletrack routes being developed on the property have been completed with a focus on expediency in development. This “rake and ride” style of trail development focuses on similar lay of the land routing, which eventually suffer identical erosion patterns to the double track routes.

New trail development will focus on sidehill-located trails that can be built to shed water off the trail rather than concentrate water’s erosion-causing volume and velocity within the trail tread. The new trails will consistently meander on the vertical and horizontal planes to prohibit downslope water movement on the trail and provide a natural “shape” to the trails, as opposed to the straight lines developed by vehicular use in the past. Finally, trail gradients will be relatively low (in most cases less than 10% in slope) to discourage erosion caused by trail use loosening the tread and leaving materials vulnerable to erosion during drainage events.

Social SustainabilityThe Schoolyard site is a highly utilized, with trail users present throughout the day. The existing trails and travel patterns intersect many times and do not form a cohesive trail system. The trails are also not signed, and combined with the multiple trail junctions, the property is somewhat difficult to navigate. Instead of a system that provides trail users with tailored experiences, there is an assemblage of routes that may or may not serve the desires, time, or experience that is being sought.

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O P P O R T U N I T I E S / C O N S T R A I N T S


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The new trail system is designed to provide loops that bring trail users back to where they started, with additional loops emanating throughout the property to provide for longer experiences.

Many of the singletrack routes that have been previously developed indicate a desire by some members of the mountain biking community to have the opportunity for more challenging trail experiences. The property’s central canyon and rocky hillsides are ideal for this type of trail experience. Minimizing potential conflicts between pedestrian and cycling trail users, while providing this type of trail is an important facet of the trail system design.

Managerial SustainabilityWithout a department or staff to steward the Schoolyard trails over time, and a relatively small cadre of volunteers trained in sustainable trail management, it is imperative that the trail development process facilitates increased capacity within Laramie for volunteer trail stewardship. Combined with high-quality, sustainable design and construction, ongoing maintenance needs can be minimized, but will never be absent. Training and utilizing volunteers through the trail construction not only lowers development costs, but creates a sense of “ownership” in the trails. Witnessing fellow citizens stewarding trails encourages greater community involvement and often results in improved trail etiquette and regulatory compliance.

DIVERSE TRAIL SYSTEMThe Schoolyard’s current trails have utility to relatively adept trail users who either know the property well or are not discouraged by the random assemblage of historic routes. While the experiences/destinations provided and the routes themselves are not high quality, the opportunity to get outside directly from town results in a great deal of use.

A diverse trail system is possible on the Schoolyard site, including beginner-friendly trails, improved narrow backcountry trails, and descending-optimized trails. Providing these different trail types reduces congestion and potential conflicts, while offering trail users the opportunity to optimize their experience based on recreation time availability, group desires, and capabilities. In the northwestern portion of the property, increased utilization of the more gentle terrain will provide the location for trails that are directly accessible to the nearby residential community and an easy connection via bike lanes to much of Laramie. Shorter distance trails in this area will appeal to trail users with lower levels of fitness or time, but will still be enjoyable as part of a longer distance trail experiences. Easy to navigate connectivity to the further reaches of the property will provide an enhanced experience for those trail users with higher levels of fitness or more time to explore. Descending-optimized trails will help retain many of the qualities of the existing singletrack trails, but with lower rates of erosion over time and physical separation from those trail users seeking a more casual experience.


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COST-EFFECTIVE TRAIL DEVELOPMENTThe cost of professionally developed trails is often surprising to many entities. The experience and expertise of professional trailbuilders vastly improve the quality and durability of the developed trails. This level of preparedness also dramatically expedites the trail development process, sometimes with more than a mile of trail constructed every week and an entire system in a short time.

These costs can often be deferred to an extent through volunteer utilization and other locally donated or low cost resources. While this report provides a cost estimate for fully professionally constructed trails for perspective on the resource needs to realize this trail system, Laramie Bike Net is strongly encouraged to strategize with the City, Wyo Trails, and the University of Wyoming on creative solutions for the project implementation.

The low gradient hill slopes and significant rock on the property allow for expedited trail construction relative to many projects. Engaging public stewards in the trail’s development through sweat equity will help to reduce long-term costs by building maintenance capacity, while also creating an understanding of the efforts needed in trail construction that will serve well in the public discourse about future projects. From the standpoint of community impacts, the costs (capital and volunteer) of trail development provide a rapid return in terms of per-user day investment and play a huge marketing role from the perspective of developing a recreation-accessible community.


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P O T E N T I A L T R A I L S Y S T E M

A total of 9.88 miles of sustainable trail corridor was ribbon flagged in late August, 2017. Utilizing approximately 0.7 miles of existing singletrack in the northeast portion of the property, the Schoolyard trail system will be approximately 10.5 miles in total length when completed.


TRAIL TYPE

White (0.15 miles)

Green (2.35 miles)

Blue (5.65 miles)

Black (2.16 miles)

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Least Difficult/White TrailThe entrance to the trail system will utilize 0.15 miles of an existing two-track maintenance road. This trail should be surfaced in a similar manner to the Jacoby Ridge trail system. This entrance will retain continuity with the Jacoby Ridge trail and can serve as a final straightaway for event purposes.

Less Difficult/Green TrailsThe designed trail system would add 2.35 miles of family-friendly trails aligned in three loops. Access to the trails is provided from the White Trail and a Connector trail, tying the natural surface trail system to the Jacoby Ridge trails in a north and south location. With little climbing involved, these will be ideal for kids or other trail users with 0.5 to 1 hour. Multiple loops allow for numerous route configurations.


TRAIL TYPE

Loop 1: 0.80 miles

Loop 2: 0.75 miles

Loop 3: 0.90 miles

Loop 4: 1.30 miles

Connector: 0.55 miles

1

2

3

4 (outer loop)

Connector

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Intermediate/Blue TrailsFrom the eastern and western ends of the easier trails, three intermediate trails totaling 5.65 miles stretch toward the outer edges of the Schoolyard site. These narrow, backcountry style trails will provide multiple optional longer trail experiences. The trails’ alignment is focused on the sidehill locations throughout the site with the centerpiece of the system being the main canyon. The approximate lengths of the loops presented below include the downhill directional/black trails (westernmost black trail in loop 5, central black trail in loop 2, and easternmost black trail in loop 4), but not the beginner friendly/green trails, which would add 0.5 to 1 mile to the loop distances depending on route choice.


TRAIL TYPE

Loop 1: 2.40 miles

Loop 2: 3.36 miles

Loop 3: 1.50 miles

Loop 4: 2.10 miles

Loop 5: 1.5 miles

Outer Loop: 3.43 miles 1

2

3

45

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Difficult/Black TrailsThree downhill directional trails totaling 1.91 miles will round out the Schoolyard trail system. The existing two-track maintenance access route to the top of the canyon will be retained for uphill direction use. Downhill 1 will be the least difficult of the trails with small berms and rollers, but no rock features that require more advanced skills to negotiate. Downhill 2 will be similar, but with the addition of rock features requiring higher skills. Downhill 3 is intended as an expert trail with a steep entrance from the canyon, numerous rock features, and constructed to provide a high speed experience. Downhill 1 and 3 merge at a location approximately two-thirds of way down their course, at which point the trail should take on the difficulty of Downhill 1 to the trail junction with the intermediate, bidirectional trail.


TRAIL TYPE

Downhill 1: 0.75 miles



1

2

3

Trail Type Name: Greenway- Aggregate SurfaceDifficulty Rating: EasyDifficulty Symbol: White Circle

Typical Tread Width: 36”-72” (Sufficient clearance for mobility devices 36” wide)Typical Corridor Width: 60”-96” Tread Rugosity: Smooth and even

Average Gradient: <5%Maximum Sustained Grade: 7%Maximum Grade: 8%Typical Tread Materials: Cut and fill at grade compacted crushed stone (6” lift of 1/2”-) with sub-base, as needed. Crowned if on flat ground, slightly outsloped if cut into hillslope.Sideslope Steepness: Flat to 10%, may need retaining walls on backslope if slope is greater

Turn Radius: Wide and openTrail/Structure Formality: Formal, 90” minimum widthWet Area Crossing Formality: Formal bridges for minor/major crossingsDuty of Care: High

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FULLY COMPACTED BENCH: ALL WEATHER SURFACE NTS

PLAN DETAILX

TREAD WIDTH VARIES, 36” MIN. , 72” MAXUSE TREES AS ANCHOR POINTS FOR TRAIL CORRIDOR

TREAD SURFACE: CRUSHED STONE (<1/2”), MECHANICAL COMPACTION

LEAF LITTER TO COVER ALL BACK SLOPE AND SOILS

USE NATURAL ANCHORS TO CONTROL TRAIL CORRIDOR

36” - 72”

3-5%

TRAIL TREAD: 6” LIFT, CRUSHED STONE, MECHANICAL COMPACTION

EXISTING GRADE3-5%

PLAN DETAIL: GREENWAY TRAIL TYP.1.1

1.2SECTION DETAIL: GREENWAY TRAIL TYP.

36” - 72”

LEAF LITTER TO COVER SPOILS IN WOODLAND AREAS, NATIVE GRASSES IN OPEN AREAS

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T R A I L S P E C I F I C A T I O N S


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Trail Type Name: Frontcountry Trail Difficulty Rating: Less DifficultDifficulty Symbol: Green Circle

Typical Tread Width: 36”-50” Typical Corridor Width: 48”-60” Tread Rugosity: Relatively smooth, some roots or rocks, protrusions <3” above trail tread

Average Gradient: <5%Maximum Sustained Grade: 10%Maximum Grade: 25% with surface treatmentTypical Tread Materials: Natural surface with surfacing amendments where necessary Sideslope Steepness: Flat to 45%

Turn Radius: Wide and openTrail/Structure Formality: Optional, adjacent low-to-ground skills development features should be considered at eighth to quarter mile intervals.Wet Area Crossing Formality: At-grade crossings of drainage features, on bedrock where possible, and rock armored when bedrock is not presentDuty of Care: Moderate

TREAD WIDTH

VARIES: MIN. 36”,

MAX. 50”

36” - 50”

TREES AS ANCHORS,

NOT LESS THAN 50”

CORRIDOR TRAIL TREAD SURFACE,

MECH. COMPACTION

W/DGA WHERE

NECESSARY

LEAF LITTER TO COVER ALL

BACKSLOPE AND SPOILS

FOLLOWING TREAD CONSTRUCTION

STONE/UNDERSTORY

TRAIL ANCHORS, NOT

LESS THAN 36”

3-7%

2.1

PLAN DETAIL: FRONTCOUNTRY TRAIL- TYP.

N.T.S

36” - 50”

TRAIL TREAD SURFACE,

MECH. COMPACTION

W/DGA WHERE

NECESSARY

LEAF LITTER TO COVER ALL

BACKSLOPE AND SPOILS

FOLLOWING TREAD CONSTRUCTION

3-7%

EXISTING GRADE

2.2

SECTION DETAIL: FRONTCOUNTRY TRAIL- TYP.

N.T.S


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Trail Type Name: Backcountry Trail Difficulty Rating: Moderate to Most DifficultDifficulty Symbol: Blue Square

Typical Tread Width: 12”-36”, with narrower width on gentle slopes and 36” width on slopes greater than 40%Typical Corridor Width: 24”-60” Tread Rugosity: Relatively smooth, some roots or rocks, protrusions <12” above trail tread

Average Gradient: <10%Maximum Sustained Grade: 12%Maximum Grade: 20% on rock surfaceTypical Tread Materials: Natural surface Sideslope Steepness: Flat to 75%

Turn Radius: 12’ minimumTrail/Structure Formality: Informal, 24” widthWet Area Crossing Formality: Informal bridges for minor/major crossings, 24” minimum widthDuty of Care: Low

TREAD WIDTH VARIES: MIN. 12”, MAX. 36”

12” - 36”

TREES AS ANCHORS, NOT LESS THAN 36” CORRIDORTRAIL TREAD SURFACE, COMPACTED LEAF LITTER TO COVER ALL BACKSLOPE AND SPOILS

STONE/UNDERSTORY TRAIL ANCHORS, NOT LESS THAN 24”

3-7%

3.1PLAN DETAIL: BACKCOUNTRY TRAIL- TYP.

N.T.S

PROTRUSIONS IN TRAIL TREAD LESS THAN 12”

3.2SECTION DETAIL: BACKCOUNTRY TRAIL- TYP.

N.T.S

12” - 36”

TRAIL TREAD SURFACE OF NATIVE MINERAL SOIL AND ROCK,COMPACTED

LEAF LITTER TO COVER ALL BACKSLOPE AND SPOILS FOLLOWING TREAD CONSTRUCTION

3-7%

EXISTING GRADE

TREES AS ANCHORS, NOT LESS THAN 36” CORRIDOR, 24” FOR ROCK/UNDERSTORY

BACKSLOPE BLENDS WITH EXISTING GRADE, NOT TO EXCEED 1:1


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Trail Type Name: Downhill Directional TrailDifficulty Rating: Moderate to ExpertDifficulty Symbol: Blue Square, Black Diamond, Double Black Diamond

Tread Width: 12”-60” (for constructed features)Corridor Width: 24”-96” (for landing zones on larger features)Tread Rugosity: Relatively smooth and even, embedded rock protruding no more than 6” above adjacent trail tread. Trail features 48” in height or lower. All features rollable

Average Gradient: 5%Maximum Sustained Grade: 10%Maximum Grade: 20% (no max on rock faces)

Typical Tread Materials: Natural surface, full bench cut. Suitable soil material will have to be imported to maintain compacted features. All constructed features compacted in 6” liftsSideslope Steepness: Flat to 75%

Turn Radius: Broad radius, super elevated Trail/Structure Formality: High formality, 36” minimum width, width minimum of 2X maximum heightWet Area Crossing Formality: Armored crossings at grade, opportunity for constructed featureDuty of Care: Moderate


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R E C O M M E N D E D P H A S I N G

PHASE 1• Outer Loop and Connector of Beginner/Frontcountry Trail

Southernmost segment of Outer/Loop 3 has been stake flagged for construction by volunteers during National Public Lands Day.Contractor can undertake Connector and northernmost segment of Loop 1, potentially with assistance in trail rake down and final shaping from smaller volunteer groups.

PHASE 2• Main internal backcountry/intermediate loop connecting to the outer portions of the Phase 1 Outer Loop,

which together will form the “spine” of the trail system.Volunteers would be best utilized constructing the western portion of the loop up to the head of the canyon as there are more rock sections where trail routing only requires vegetation removal and less steep sideslopes and bench cuts/construction spoils that can be adequately handled with hand tools.Contractor services would be best utilized on the eastern portion of the loop, as there are steeper sideslopes and bench cuts/construction spoils will be better dealt with by machines.

PHASE 3• Outer lobes of backcountry/intermediate loops

Volunteers would be best utilized constructing the western loop to the saddle near the water tank as there are more rock sections where trail routing only requires vegetation removal and less steep sideslopes and bench cuts/construction spoils that can be adequately handled with hand tools.Contractor services would be best utilized on the southeastern loop, as there are more loose but large rocks and steeper sideslopes and bench cuts/construction spoils will be better dealt with by machines.

• Internal segments of frontcountry/beginner friendly trails to provide numerous options for route choiceContractor services would be best utilized on these trail segments to provide continuity in trail tread provided by machine construction.Volunteers could work to develop alternate riding skills features throughout the frontcountry/beginner friendly trails.

PHASE 4• Downhill directional/most difficult trails

Construction sequence should be in order of the challenge progression, with Downhill 1 constructed first, followed by Downhill 2, and finally Downhill 3.Significant shaping of trail features would be made much more cost effective with volunteer assistance, working collaboratively with contractor.


Documents

SCHOOLYARD PROPERTY TRAIL DEVELOPMENT PLAN