GUNNISON COUNTY TRAILS MASTER PLAN 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover Page Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................……................. 2 Executive Summary General Priorities ........................................................................................................................ 4 Access Concerns …………......................................................................................................... 5 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................. .........…............. 7 Chapter 1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8 GCTMP Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 8 Why Trails? .................................................................................................................................. 8 Trail Benefits .............................................. ................................................................................. 8 Trail Systems ............................................................................................................................... 8 GCTMP Mission Statement ....................................................................................................... 9 The Planning Approach ............................................................................................................. 9 Chapter 2. Background and Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 10 Gunnison County ........................................................................................................................ 10 Master Trails Plan Public Input ................................................................................................ 12 Public Input Findings ................................................................................................................. 12 Existing Trails ................. ............................................. .............................................. 13 Shared Trail Use .......................................................................................................... 13 Local Community Trail Surveys .............................................................................. 13 Trail Development ...................................................................................................... 14 Trail Access .................................................................................................................. 14 Chapter 3. The Trails Plan ..........................................................................................….................................. ........... 15 Goals ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Project Selection Criteria ........................................................................................................... 16 Specific Projects .......................................................................................................................... 16 Community Connectors ................................................................................................ 16 Recreational Routes .......................…............................................................................ 18 Greenways .................................................................................................................................. 19 Bike Lanes ................................................................................................................................... 19 Summer Trailheads .................................................................................................................... 19 Winter Trailheads ....................................................................................................................... 20 Chapter 4. Implementation ....................…........................................................................................................ .......... 23 Funding Strategies ..................................................................................................................... 23 The First Steps .…............................................................................................................ 23 Funding Approaches ..................................................................................................... 23 Inter-Governmental Cooperation and Funding ......................................................... 23 Business and Corporate Funding ................................................................................. 23 Citizens .............................................................................…............................................ 24 Private Foundations ...........................................................…......................................... 24 Land Acquisition ......................................................................................................................... 24 The First Steps ....................................................................…......................................... 24 Land Dedication .....................................................................…..................................... 24 Land Trades ..............................................................................…................................... 25 Property Easements ...................................................................…................................. 25 Land Trusts ...................................................................................…............................... 25 Open Space and Recreation Districts ..............................…......................................... 25 2 Land Purchase .............................................................................................................. 25 Land Owner Liability .............................................................................................................. 25 GCTMP Amendments ............................................................................................................. 25 GCTMP Annual Review ......................................................................................................... 26 Appendices .........................................................…................................................................... ................................... 27 Appendix A. Share and Enjoy - Colorado's High Country............................. ........... ..... 28 Appendix B. IMBA Rules of the Trail............................. ............................. ........... ........... 29 Appendix C. Roadway Suitability for Bicycle Use............................. ............................. 30 Appendix D. Trail Strategies............................. ............................. ............................. ........ 33 Appendix E. Multi-Use / Multi-Season Trails............................. ............................. ......... 34 Appendix F. Shared-Use Urban Streets ............................. ............................. ........... ....... 35 Appendix G. Traffic Calming............................. ............................. ............................. ....... 38 Appendix H. Bicycle Parking ............................. ............................. ............................. ...... 40 Appendix I. Shared-Use Rural Roads............................. ............................. ........... .......... 42 Appendix J. Bike Route Signing............................. ............................. ........... ........... ........ 43 Appendix K. Trail Feasibility............................. ............................. ........... ........... ............ 46 Appendix L. Colorado Recreation Liability Statute............................. .............................. 52 Appendix M. Sources and References ............................. ............................. ........... .......... 54 Appendix N. GCTC Achievements............................. ............................. ........... ............ .. 55 Appendix O. Glossary……………............................... ............................. ........... ........... ... 56 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The mission of the Gunnison County Trails Commission is to protect, plan, develop and manage trails to promote alternative modes of transportation, to provide access to public lands, and to promote the recreational economy of Gunnison County. The Trails Commission is charged to develop a trails system which respects the rights of private property owners, facilitates communication between interested parties, and works with private entities, local, state and federal agencies to enhance the trail system. The full mission statement appears in Chapter 1. General Priorities The Gunnison County Trails Commission lists the following as the highest priorities for the commission as well as pursuing possible grant funding. Historic Routes. Identify historic routes that access public land through private