3.11 PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCOMMODATIONS

3.11.1 Existing Conditions

Existing Trails. There are three recreational trails within the beltway study area as listed in Table 3.10. Locations of the trails are shown in Figures 2.1 and 2.25. The Wilderness Park Trail has two trail heads in the study area (14^th Street at Salt Creek and Saltillo Road at Salt Creek). The MoPac East Trail also has two trailheads in the study area at 98^th Street and in Walton. There are no other pedestrian or bicycle accommodations in the study area, with the exception of the Walton Trail Company in Walton, a private business enterprise which primarily serves users of the MoPac East Trail. Use of the trails is limited to daylight hours.

The Wilderness Park trails occur entirely within the 12 km (7.5 mi) long park, with the exception of several at-grade crossings of paved city streets. The trails are located within a wooded setting along the banks of Salt Creek. In general, the trails are visually screened, but not audibly shielded from traffic along US 77 and the BNSF and UP railroads.

The MoPac East and David Murdock trails were developed along abandoned railroad rights-of-way. Both trails have 30 m (100 ft) rights-of-way. Roadway intersections have been variously treated with both at-grade and grade separated crossings. Both trails originate within urban portions of the city, extend east through suburban developments, and continue east into agricultural areas. Visually, these trails occur in more open settings than the Wilderness Park Trail. The MoPac Trail, which follows the old Missouri Pacific line, is owned by the City of Lincoln to 150 m (500 ft) east of 84^th Street. From this point east, the MoPac East Trail is owned by LPSNRD and extends to Elmwood; future plans include extending the route to Omaha. In the east beltway area, the trail is located in the vicinity of A Street. The Murdock Trail, which follows the old Chicago-Rock Island line, is owned by the City of Lincoln and ends at 112^th Street. The trail terminus has no trailhead, and all former railroad right-of-way to the east has been sold to adjacent landowners. In the east beltway area, the trail is located in the vicinity of Havelock Avenue.

Through the beltway study area, hiker/biker usage on the Wilderness Trail is considered moderate compared to very heavy use on the MoPac East and fairly light use on the Murdock Trail. Equestrian usage is considered moderate on the Wilderness Park Trail (personal communication between Amy Zlotsky and Terry Genrinch, City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department, 22 August 2000) and very heavy on the MoPac East Trail (personal communication between Amy Zlotsky and Glenn Johnson, LPSNRD, 27 June 2000).

Proposed Trails. There are three proposed trails within the beltway study area. The LPSNRD's approved Stevens Creek Watershed Plan includes an open space component to acquire conservation easements over the 100-year floodplain between the MoPac East and Murdock Trails. The plan (which has been incorporated into the Lincoln-Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan) includes constructing a proposed connector trail within this easement between the MoPac East and Murdock Trails. The Stevens Creek Connector would follow the west bank of Stevens Creek from the MoPac East Trail to 112^th Street. After crossing the 112^th Street bridge, the connector would then follow the east bank of the creek to the Murdock Trail and on to Salt Creek. The study team has been in contact with LPSNRD regarding potential beltway conflicts.

The UP rail line, from the half-section line south of Saltillo Road to Beatrice, has been recently abandoned and filed upon for rail banking for the Rails-to-Trails program by the Nebraska Trails Council. Several entities have been approached for participation in construction of this project-the Homestead Trail. To date, LPSNRD, Nemaha NRD and the City of Beatrice have decided to participate; Gage County and Little Blue NRD have decided not to; and the City of Lincoln and Lancaster County have not yet decided. Even if the proposed trail project is constructed, the trail will still be considered a transportation corridor, and could be used for railroad purposes in the future. It should be noted that there would be a 0.8 km (0.5 mi) gap between the end of the Wilderness Park Trail and the beginning of the proposed Homestead Trail, and that the south edge of the SM-4 right-of way is located approximately 135 m (450 ft) north of the beginning of the proposed Homestead Trail.

Lastly, the City of Lincoln is considering extending Wilderness Park, and its trails, south along Salt Creek to Hickman. In the vicinity of the SM-4, it is most likely the Wilderness Park Trails would be located so as to connect to the Homestead Trail should it become a reality.

3.11.2 Impacts of the Four Finalist Alternatives

The required trail crossings and approximate right-of-way from construction of the four alternatives is summarized in Table 3.11.

Existing Trails. The south beltway, SM-4, crosses no existing trails. All east beltway alternatives cross the MoPac East Trail; but only EC-1 crosses the Murdock Trail. It should be noted that EC-1 crosses the Murdock Trail very close to the trail terminus at 112^th Street.

Construction of the beltway will introduce a new roadway element into these segments of the trails, and may adversely impact the visual and audible experience of the trail users for a short distance. However, the beltway impact on trails is considered negligible considering the trails are part of an urban trail system that already crosses many roadways (approximately 1 per 1.6 km (1 mi)), and considering the length of the trails (over 14 km (9 mi) for MoPac/MoPac East; over 11 km (7 mi) for Murdock). Since the trails crossings will be mitigated for, there will be no adverse impact on existing pedestrian and bicycle accommodations.

Proposed Trails. Any extension of the Wilderness Park trails and any connector between the Wilderness Park trails and the Homestead Trail are likely to cross SM-4 near the bridge over Salt Creek. EC-1 would cross the proposed Stevens Creek Connector. Since EM-1 crosses the MoPac East Trail very near Stevens Creek is possible that EM-1 could cross the Stevens Creek Connector as well.

3.11.3 Proposed Mitigation

Existing Trails. For the MoPac East Trail, design of the beltway/trail intersections will include (1) grade separations to safely accommodate the trail, (2) separate access through confined areas for the hiker/biker and equestrian trails (or a physical divider), and (3) underpasses for all equestrian trail crossings since horses are hesitant to use overpasses (personal communication between A. Zlotsky and Glenn Johnson, LPSNRD, 27 June 2000). The hiker/biker trail may be designed as an overpass or underpass.

For the Murdock Trail, design of the beltway/trail intersection will be handled as an overpass since it is not an equestrian trail.

Design of the trails will follow AASHTO and ADA trail guidelines, and will be coordinated with the trail owners, LPSNRD and the City. Specific details on the crossings will not be determined until final design.

Because the trails are publicly owned recreational facilities and rights-of-way will need to be acquired from LPSNRD and the City of Lincoln, the existing trails are considered 4(f) resources. The 4(f) resources are discussed further in the Section 4(f) Statement in (Appendix H).

Proposed Trails. Although SM-4 crosses the UP line just north of the half-section line (within the active segment of the line), the beltway project would provide a bicycle/pedestrian trail to connect the south end of Wilderness Park with the north end of the Homestead trail should the Homestead trail become a reality.

The beltway project would also be designed to accommodate the proposed Stevens Creek Connector at the EC-1 or EM-1 crossings.

Although the potential exists for acquiring additional land to provide pedestrian and bicycle trails within the beltway right-of-way, other options through the city would be more desirable. Such options are already being considered with the ultimate effect of connecting the Wilderness Park Trail to the MoPac Trail, and the MoPac East Trail to the Murdock Trail (see above).

Other than the proposed connector between Wilderness Park and the Homestead Trail, there are no other trail connections proposed within the beltway right-of-way at this time. If necessary, the issue of whether additional trails should occur within highway right-of-way could be reevaluated.

It should be noted that although construction of the proposed trails could result in the beltway crossing future public recreation areas; however, Section 4(f) only applies to existing resources. In addition, if these trails are concurrently planned with the proposed roadway project, they would not be considered 4(f) properties in the future. The 4(f) resources are discussed further in the Section 4(f) Statement in (Appendix H).

3.11.4 No Build Alternative

The no build alternative will have no impacts on pedestrian and bicycle accommodations that can be identified at this time. However, as County roads are hard surfaced to accommodate a growing suburban population (as part of the proposed future roadway network improvements), there will be some impact to recreational trails. An example would be the recent paving of 148^th Street across the MoPac Trail.