FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 13, 2018
Updated Dec.12, 2018
Contacts:
Chris Schneiter, Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer, (831) 420-5422
Janice Bisgaard, Community Relations Specialist, (831) 420-5166
SANTA CRUZ —Today the Santa Cruz City Council approved the San Lorenzo River Parkway Phase III/Trestle Trail Project construction award to Cushman Contracting Corporation. The project, which comprises a portion of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Segment 8, will replace the existing 4-foot wide walkway on the San Lorenzo River Railroad Trestle Bridge with a new multi-use trail that is 10 feet wide.
The Trestle Trail Project will provide direct bike/pedestrian access between the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the Seabright neighborhood and the Santa Cruz Riverwalk levee path and downtown Santa Cruz.
"This is a really great example of city/county/state collaboration to make it safer for people to walk and bike in our community,” said Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty.
The bike/pedestrian path will be made of steel with fiberglass decking. Horizontal cable railings will replace the current chain-link fence. It will be approximately 340 feet long and connect to the existing access ramps at each end of the bridge.
The trail will be cantilevered from the existing bridge which saves over $4 million compared to the conceptual Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Master Plan developed in 2013. A structural analysis funded by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County determined that a new stand-alone bike/pedestrian bridge was unnecessary and that construction using the existing trestle system would provide significant cost savings, as well as time savings. If the project were to have “touched the water,” the environmental review and permitting process would have added five years to the timeline plus additional cost.
“We're thrilled to have invested $15,000 to save $4 million and move this awesome project along,” said Land Trust of Santa Cruz County Executive Director Stephen Slade.
With the cantilevered design, the Trestle Trail Project is slated for completion before Memorial Day 2019 — just in time for the increased number of summer season bicyclists and pedestrians.
The project cost of $2.03 million is funded with a California Natural Resources Agency grant, Transportation Development Act funds, and City of Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission Measure D allocations.
Trestle Trail Project questions or concerns may be addressed to Christophe Schneiter, City of Santa Cruz Public Works Assistant Director/City Engineer at (831) 420-5422.
