Touch of Nature Environmental Center Conceptual Trail and Bike Park Design 2016

Prepared by: Touch of Nature Environmental Center Southern University 1206 Touch of Nature Road Makanda, lL 62958

1 I P ft g e "The Touch of Nature Environmental Center is an amazing canvas to design and build a purpose built trail system for visitors to the facility and riders from across the region. The combination of desirable topography, lack of existing access, onsite facilities, and proximity to the surrounding communities make the property an ideal candidate for a trails master plan and make it a potential candidate for a future trails destination." -Andy Williamson, Great Lakes Region Director International Mountain Bicycling Association

Midwest Mountain Biking

Touch of Nature mountain bike trails will add another spot to hit for the thousands of riders already visiting the St. Louis area, lMBA Ride Center Brown County Indiana, and other Midwest mountain biking destinations already in full swing.

Brown County State Park is the most visited state park in Indiana at 1.3 million per year. Similar terrain and landscape plus the ability to offer similar lodging and other outdoor opportunities, and the success that Brown County has seen with its mountain bike trails make Brown County a good model for Touch of Nature to follow.

2 I r} " g e Economic Impact

The Outdoor Industry Association reports that the outdoor industry accounted for $646 billion in 2010, coming in third in consumer spending only to financial services/insurance and outpatient healthcare. On a state level, 60% of Illinois residents participate in outdoor recreation. Outdoor recreation generates $22 billion in consumer spending in Illinois and accounts for $6.7 billion in wages and salaries. Tunnel Hill State Trail that stretches from Tunnel Hill to Vienna, Illinois, saw its usage more than double within the first three years after its installation: 31,000 users in 1999 up to 79,000 in 2002. Local visitors average 82 visits per year. Acoord'ing to a 2015 Southern lllinoisian ahiiale enENled, The business of outdoors: stimulati;g the economy one visitor at a time, Jacksor: County (where Touch Of Nature lies) took in $65.06 million in tourism dollars in 2013. We know that even when the economy is in decline, people will spend money on outdoor recreation. Tourists already visit for its opportunities in road cycling, wineries, historical significance, and unique landscape in general. Multi-use mountain bike trails will give visitors, locals, and SIU students another way to appreciate the landscape and another reason to come, come back, and stay.

Slu Benefilts

• Current and future project opportunities for SIU students • Fieldwork and internship opportunities: volunteer management, trail signage, trail management, etc. • Retention and recruitment • Inter-departmental projects and events

Community Benefits

• Carbondale will reap the majority of the benefits oftrail additions • Potential for large scale events -mountain bike races, trail running races, kids and teens rides, etc. • Commerce to restaurants, wineries, bicycle shops, etc. • Increase visitation of other recreational opportunities

3 I P ;, g c Overview

The development of bike parks has advanced rapidly in the past several years. Providing a location for riders to partake of bike-optimized trails and appealing to a wide range of skills, bike parks become physical centers for the millions of mountain bicyclists who live in urban areas.

Carbondale, Southern Illinois University and Touch of Nature has the opportunity to become the premier bike park in Illinois. Carbondale's soon to open waterpark and nearly completed bike paths, fishing opportunities at the neighboring Crab Orchard and horseback riding options in will all compliment Touch of Nature's topographic relief to host a number of tracks and trails built for mountain bikers, hikers and trail runners.

At the request of Touch of Nature Environmental Center, staff from the International Mountain Bicycling Association visited the site to assess the potential for the development of a regionally significant mountain bike trail system. The feedback from that regional representative was that Touch of Nature's topography is ideal for a multi-use trail system for bikers and hikers.

The involvement of local bike shops, biking groups and the University has been considerable, which bodes well for the ultimate success of the bike park if it is constructed. A combination of interested individuals and bicycle industry companies have supported the planning process and are likely be present throughout the process.

The conceptual site plan has three phases under consideration for the tracks and trails on the western portion of Touch of Nature/Southern Illinois University property. Further refinement of the site plan and funding will determine how quickly those phases occur. For the overall conceptual site plan all three phases are displayed.

4 I P `1 g C Tracks and Trails

Pump Track

The main pump track will be designed for a range of skill levels to allow cyclists to learn and perfect their riding skills. This track will have a designed direction-of-use to allow for progression of skills and fitness for riders coming from the KidsITots Pump Track or riders hoping to advance to the more organic and advanced Pump Park.

The main pump track will be located on the east side of Giant City Road, just northwest of the Touch of Nature Administration Office. The pump track design will add approximately 10,000 square feet of bike-specific features to the park.

KidsITots Pump Track

The kids/tots pump track will be a pump track designed for smaller bicycles and users, lt will feature reduced-sized rollers and swales as well as lower-angle bermed turns. It will have features that can accommodate strider-type bicycles as well as smaller-wheeled bikes with short wheelbases. The kids/tots pump track is designed for the newest of riders.

The kids/tots pump track will be located on the east side of Giant City Road, just west of the Touch of Nature Administration Office. It will have easy access from a walking path that connects the Administration Office to the main parking area for multi-use trail access. The kids/tots park will add approximately 11,000 square feet of beginner bicycle features to the regional park.

5 I P fl g 1` Single-track Trail

The proposed single-track trail will be suited for beginner to advanced users looking to build fitness and confidence in a low-barrier environment. The trail will appeal to users looking to exercise in the shade. The proposed trail will also offer four skills areas where trail users can learn and hone technical bicycling skills in a low-risk setting.

The single-track trail will be located on the west side of Giant City Road stretching to the western edge of Touch of Nature property. Going north and south, the area included starts just south of Indian Creek which flows west to east and extends south to the Giant City State Park border. Future plans may include joining the Giant City State Park trail system. This system will add approximately 30 miles of trail and 2,000 square feet of skills areas for users to enjoy.

Interpretive Signage

Touch of Nature teaches environmental education and stewardship as a priority. Mountain bike trails will strive to educate in addition to providing recreation, with the inclusion of strategically planned stops with informative signage along the trails, as well as at the trailhead. Information will include natural history of the area, focus on native and invasive species of flora and fauna, and anthropological information.

6 I P " g i) Other Highlights and Proposed Highlights of the Area

Touch of Nature already provides great infrastructure for visitors, and utilizing existing features would allow the park to offer additional experiences for riders. There are almost 100 buildings on site that can be rented by visitors. In addition to lodging and space rental there are paddling and fishing opportunities on Little Grassy Lake, a high ropes course, two team building courses, two zip lines and educational programs offered by the Center.

The Center is currently working on hiking trails (foot traffic only) on the east side of Giant City Road. These trails will total about 15 miles when complete and stretch as far south as the River to River Trail/. Some trails will be self-interpretive.

The Center is also researching opportunities to install an RV Park and Campground for riders and hikers to be able to use.

Costs and Phasing

Construction Cost Opinion

For a complete build of all the proposed tracks and trails a construction crew of professional trail builders equipped with mini-excavators, a full-size excavator, bucket loader, water tender/water source, skid steer, and mini-skid steer. Screened, clean fill soil will need to be imported to construct many of the features. Rock and/or pre-fabricated technical trail features will also be needed.

7lpagc Track/Trail Low Estimate High Estimate KidsITots Pump Track $16,000 $20,000 Pump Track $20,000 $25,000 Single-track Trail $210,000 $400,000 $246,000 $445,000

The estimated costs are based on the conceptual plan and will change as the project scope is refined. Costs are for construction only and do not include the following:

• Design and permitting - Fencing (construction and permanent) - Site preparation/mass grading - Landscaping and irrigation - E&S control measures - Signs -Additional parking areas, lighting, restrooms, etc.

Maintenance and operating costs will be determined based on the actual constructed tracks/trails.

Sustainable Building ln order to ensure trails will last as long and require as little supplemental building as possible, trails will be designed to cause little erosion and compaction using techniques such as incorporating switchbacks and following contour lines.

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Priorities and Phasing

Phase 1 12 to 15 miles Single-track Trail

Phase 2 10 to 13 miles Single-track Trail KidsITots Pump Track

Phase 3 8 to 11 miles Single-track Trail Pump Track

Next Steps

lf the concept plan is approved then a detailed site plan should be created to refine the integration of the tracks and trails into the site. The detailed plan should contain a more specific, surveyed layout with design information for each track/trail. This will facilitate a more accurate cost estimate and the creation of construction documents. A draft operations plan and a risk management plan will also be developed.

9 I P i, g c Conceptual Site

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TOUCH OF NATURE TRAIL PLANNING AND DESIGN - PROPOSAL

Scope

TASK 1 -PROJECT INITIATION

Trail Solutions will work with the client to prepare for the fieldwork and initiate the project. One Trail Specialist will obtain and review all available background information. The Trail Specialist will create a base-map of the Area of Interest (Aol) that includes a combination of all available geographic data for the project site. Our Trail Specialist will travel to Makanda and upon arrival will meet with client and tour the project site.

TASK 2 - FIELDWORK & ANALYSIS

During the fall of 2016 Trail Specialists will survey and assess the existing trails and resources. They will evaluate the terrain for new trail opportunities while evaluating the current trails vision document. Based on the review of the property and stakeholder input on objectieves a trails concept plan will be developed. The trail concept design will identify specific areas of the property best suited for particular types of trail; trailhead locations, key vistas and viewpoints, forgiving terrain for family-trails, naturally challenging terrain for technical segments, etc. Considerations will be made for specific signage needs, soil types and vegetation management. Design will also capture those areas ill suited for trails; for instance, low-lying wet and/or protected natural areas.

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TOUCH OF NATURE TRAIL PLANNING AND DESIGN - PROPOSAL

TASK 3 -GENERATE AND DELIVER REPORT Trail Specialist will create a draft trail concept plan and maps for the project site. Included in this report are concise descriptions of the trail types recommended, suggested phased implementation if appropriate, recommendations of construction styles, and a cost estimate. The plan and maps are provided to the client electronically.

Trail Specialist will spend up to 4 hours finalizing the design report and maps per client comments and feedback to create a finalized version.

Based on data collected during the field visit, a Conceptual Trail Plan report will be composed. The report will include: • Area Description • ProjectApproach and objectives • Existing conditions; Opportunities and constraints • Trail system development recommendations • Conceptual Trails plan map • Costopinion

TASK 4 -TRAIL DESIGN

During the fall of 2016 Trail Specialists will design, flag and GPS mark up to 5 miles of shared-use natural surface trail. This task will include marking of trail corridors with intervisible flagging tape and/or pin flags. A series of maps will be produced and delivered, and will show the corridors flagged during fieldwork. Tracks of the flagged corridor are also supplied.

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TOUCH OF NATURE TRAIL PLANNING AND DESIGN PROPosill

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Obtain and review existing materials; Create base maps for the Area of Interest (Aol) with 1.1 ; 1,545 appropriate data layers.

1.2 Mobilize to Makanda, lL. ; 2,550

Conduct kick-off meeting with the client's representativeand key stakeholders. Review site 1.3 $680 access.

TASK 2 - FIELDWORK & ANALYSIS

2.1 Assess and survey Touch of Nature site. $ 1,700

2.2 Identify critical control points, develop conceptual routes and field review their feasibility. ; 1,700

Review concept routes with stakeholders and landmanager. Collaborate on improvements and 2.3 $680 identify additional opportunities.

2.4 Identify and recommend optimal phase 1 location for design $340

TASK 3 -CONCEPT PLAN DELIVERABLES

3.1 Create draft trails concept plan (5-7 page report). ; 1,130

3.2 Create draft maps depicting concept plan and phasing. $ 2,040

3.3 Revise and finalize documents per client domments. $900

TASK 4 -TRAIL DESIGN

4.1 Design approx. 5 miles of trail and mark with flagging ribbon at intervisible distances. $ 3,400

4.2 Deliver digital files (GPX or KMZ) of the marked trail alignments. $425

TOTAL LABOR COST ; 17,600 Direct Costs -transportation, lodging, meals, etc. ; 5,306

GRAND TOTAL $ 22,396

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