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Lj Rr) PRL-14 : •04D44.6.44- 00E Glib MI* Lj rr) PR L-14 - HS Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division 100 Institute Road • Worcester, MA 01609-2280 Phone 508-831-5547 • Fax 508-831-5485 • http://www.wpi.edu/ May 10, 2000 Mr. Daniel Galan, Director Forest Management Division DRNA Box 9066600 Pta. De Tierra Station San Juan, Puerto Rico 00906-6600 Dear Mr. Galan: Enclosed is our report entitled Rio Piedras Bikeway Design. It was written at the Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales during the period March 19 through May 10, 2000. Preliminary work was completed in Worcester, Massachusetts, prior to our arrival in Puerto Rico. Copies of this report are simultaneously being submitted to Professors Laura Menides and Douglas Woods for evaluation. Upon faculty review, the original copy of this report will be catalogued in the Gordon Library at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. We greatly appreciated the opportunity to perform our project at DRNA and we are especially grateful for all of the time that you and Ms. Rossana Vidal have devoted to us. Sincerely, Kenneth Antos -t_ J c e latow // Garret Mier 1 Report Submitted to: Laura J. Menides Douglas W. Woods Puerto Rico, Project Center By: Kenneth Antos Jacqueline Flatow Garret Mier In Cooperation With: Daniel J. Galan, Director Rossana Vidal, Biologist Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (DRNA), Forest Management Division RIO PIEDRAS BIKEWAY DESIGN May 10, 2000 This project report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do no necessarily reflect the positions or opinions of the DRNA or Worcester Polytechnic Institute. This report is the product of an education program, and is intended to serve as partial documentation for the evaluation of academic achievement. The report should not be construed as a working document by the reader. Abstract This project is prepared for Puerto Rico's Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (DRNA) and Transportation and Public Works Authority. After conducting research, case studies, personal interviews and an evaluation of the Rio Puerto Nuevo Recreation Master Plan the IQP team provided recommendations for the design and implementation of a 2-mile educational bicycle trail to follow the Rio Piedras River and to connect the Luis Muiloz Marin Park and the UPR Botanical Gardens. The recommendations in this report will lead to the construction of a trail that will encourage the use of urban recreational facilities and promote an understanding of the importance of green spaces in San Juan. 3 Authorship Page Abstract J.F. Executive Summary J.F. Chapter 1—Introduction K.A., J.F.*, G.M. Chapter 2—Literature Review K.A., J.F., G.M. Introduction K.A., J.F., G.M. San Juan and its Land History G.M. Environmental Aspects J.F., G.M. Aspects of Urban Public Places J.F., G.M. Case Studies J.F., G.M. Rio Puerto Nuevo Recreation Master Plan J.F. Legislation J.F. Design Planning K.A., J.F., G.M. Civil Engineering K.A. Landscape Architecture K.A. Art K.A. Cost K.A. Chapter 3—Methodology J.F. Chapter 4—Results K.A., J.F., G.M. Chapter 5—Analysis of Results J.F., G.M. Chapter 6—Conclusions and Recommendations J.F., G.M. Appendix A J.F. Appendix B K.A. Appendix C J.F. Appendix D K.A., J.F. *Bold initials indicate primary responsibility for the section 4 Acknowledgements Our project team would like to gratefully acknowledge the following people for their contributions and assistance in the completion of our Interactive Qualifying Project. At the Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (DRNA) we would like to thank our liaisons Daniel Galan and Rossana Vidal as well as the entire Forest Management Division. At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Juan division we would like to thank Mrs. Mercedes Mercado and Sr. Jose Martinez Laboy. We would also like to thank Dr. Fred C. Schaffner, Director of the UPR Botanical Gardens for his time and interest in our project. From Worcester Polytechnic Institute we would like to acknowledge Professors Laura Menides, Douglas Woods and Susan Vernon-Gerstenfeld for all of their help throughout the course of this project. 5 Table of Contents Executive Summary 10 Chapter 1—INTRODUCTION 13 Chapter 2—BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW 16 2.1. Introduction 16 2.2. San Juan and its Land History 17 2.2.1 Growth and Development 17 2.2.2. Exploitation of the Land and the Environmental Effects 18 2.2.3. Puerto Rican's Resistance to Environmental Abuse 19 2.2.4. Obstacles to Overcome for Puerto Rican Environmentalists 20 2.3. Environmental Aspects of Puerto Rico 21 2.3.1. Botany and Wildlife 21 2.3.2. Wildlife 22 2.3.3. Climate 22 2.3.4. Water Sources 24 2.3.5. Soils 25 2.3.6. Land Use 25 2.4. Aspects of Urban Public Places 26 2.4.1. The Need for Recreation 26 2.4.2. Education 27 2.5. Case Studies 27 2.5.1. New England Trails 28 2.5.2. UPR Botanical Gardens 30 2.5.3. Pifiones Bikeway 32 2.6. Rio Puerto Nuevo Recreation Master Plans 33 2.7. Legislation 34 2.7.1 Accessibility 34 2.7.2. Building and Development Codes 37 2.8. Design 38 2.8.1. Planning 39 2.8.1.1. Approaches to Recreational Planning 41 2.8.1.2. Demand 42 2.8.1.3. Citizen Survey Methods 43 2.8.1.4. Maps 44 2.8.1.5. Photographs 45 2.8.1.6. Current and Future Development 46 2.8.1.7. Types of Trails 48 2.8.1.8. Use of Signs in Public Places 49 2.8.1.9. Lighting Aesthetics of Outdoor Public Locations 51 2.8.1.10. Security of Public Locations 51 2.8.2. Civil Engineering 51 6 2.8.2.1. Earthwork 51 2.8.2.2. Drainage 52 2.8.2.3. Erosion 53 2.8.3. Landscape Architecture 54 2.8.3.1. Landscape Planning 55 2.8.3.2. Site Planning 56 2.8.3.3. Landscape Design 56 2.8.3.4. Human Factors 59 2.8.4. Art 60 2.9. Cost 60 2.9.1. Material 61 2.9.2. Construction 62 2.9.3. Maintenance 63 Chapter 3—METHODOLOGY 66 3.1. Methodological Objectives 66 3.2. Procedures 67 3.2.1. Data Collection 67 Case Studies 67 Site Observation 69 Interviews 71 3.2.2. Design 72 Scenario 1 72 Scenario 2 73 3.2.3. Analysis 73 Cost Analysis 73 Cost-Benefit Ratio 73 3.3. Methodological Conclusions 74 Chapter 4—RESULTS 75 4.1. Our Design Scenarios 75 4.1.1. Scenario 1 75 4.1.2. Scenario 2 87 Version 2-A 87 Version 2-B 89 4.1.3. Surface Material 91 4.1.4. Trail Accessories 91 Chapter 5—ANALYSIS OF RESULTS 93 5.1. Introduction 93 5.2. Cost Analysis 93 5.3. Economics of Our Trail 95 5.4. Methodology of Numbers from Table 5.2 96 5.5. User Participation of Our Proposed Trail 97 7 Chapter 6—CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS_ 100 6.1. Conclusions 100 6.2. Recommendations 101 Education 101 Recreation 103 Infrastructure Projects 105 Maintenance 105 Security 106 Removal and Planting of Trees in the Project Site 106 Bicycle Rental 106 Finding the Trail 106 APPENDIX A—MISSION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE DRNA 107 APPENDIX B—MAPS OF OUR PROJECT SITE 112 APPENDIX C—PICTURES OF THE PROJECT SITE AND OUR PRIMARY CASE STUDY 114 APPENDIX D—INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS 117 APPENDIX E—RIO PUERTO NUEVO FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT RECREATIONAL PLANS 122 REFERENCES 123 8 List of Tables Chapter 2—Literature Review _ Table 2-1: Construction Cost of Pitiones Phase 1 64 Table 2-2: Construction Cost of Piriones Phase 2 65 Chapter 5—Analysis of Results Table 5-1: Cost Analysis Spreadsheet 93 Table 5-2: Economics of Our Trail 95 Table 5-3: User Participation for our Proposed Trail 97 Table 5-4: Population of San Juan and Puerto Rico, 1990-2000 98 Table 5-5: Recreation Values with and without our Project 99 9 List of Figures Chapter 4—Results Figure 4.1: Design Scenario 1 76 Figure 4.2.1: Design Scenario 1 77 Figure 4.2.2: Design Scenario 1 78 Figure 4.3: Baseball Field 79 Figure 4.4: UPR Botanical Gardens' North Gate 80 Figure 4.5: University Gardens Section 80 Figure 4.6: Notre Dame Bridge 81 Figure 4.7: Notre Dame Road 81 Figure 4.8: Access Ramps 82 Figure 4.9: Access Ramps 83 Figure 4.10: University Gardens' Land, Before Overpass 83 Figure 4.11: PR18 Bridge 84 Figure 4.12: Access Ramps to PR18 and J.T. Pinero Avenue 85 Figure 4.13: Luis Munoz Marin Park Perimeter 86 Figure 4.14: Rio Piedras in Luis Munoz Marin Park 86 Figure 4.15: Proposed Starting Point 87 Figure 4.16: Design Scenario 2-A 87 Figure 4.17: Rio Piedras Crossing Point in Botanical Gardens 88 Figure 4.18: La Puente Historica 88 Figure 4.19: Design Scenario 2-B 90 Figure 4.20: Tren Urbano Construction 89 Appendix A—Mission and Organization of the Agency Figure A-1: Organizational Chart – DRNA Figure A-2: Organizational Chart – Forest Services Division of DRNA 10 Executive Summary The Puerto Rico Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (DRNA), or in English, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) is looking to construct a 2-mile educational bicycle trail that will integrate existing recreation facilities in the Luis Munoz Marin Park and the University of Puerto Rico Botanical Gardens.
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