cuyahoga valley national park tm robert w. bobel, p.e. park engineer cuyahoga valley national park...

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TM

Robert W. Bobel, P.E.Park Engineer

Cuyahoga Valley National ParkGreater Cleveland Trails and Greenways Conference

Given June 7, 2010Middleburg Heights, OH

Trail Design & Construction Challenges in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TM

Trail Users + Trail Location = Design Standards

Design Standards → Width, grades, surface

Surface = Costs (initial + maintenance)

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMTrail Users

• Surface

• Width

• Grades

• Trailheads

• Trail amenities

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMTrail Location

• Crossings

• Along water courses

• Environmental

• Cultural

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMRiver and stream erosion

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMFlooding

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMAggregate Surfaces

• Crushed Rolled Limestone

• Gravel & Sand Mix

• Natural earthen

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMPaved Hardened Surface

• Asphalt

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMPaved Hardened Surface

• Concrete

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMPaved Hardened Surface

• Specialty surfaces

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMOther Hardened Surface

• Boardwalks

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TM

Trail Surfaces

Limestone – Asphalt – Concrete

(initial costs)

$ → $$ → $$$

(maintenance costs)

$$$ → $$ → $

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMLimestone - Advantages

• Lower Initial Cost

• Softer Appearance

• More Giving Surface

• More absorption

• Slower Speeds

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMLimestone - Disadvantages

• Requires Regular Maintenance

• Requires time to set up

• Limited to flatter trails

• Spring Tundra

• Summer Dusting

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMBank Erosion

• Gabion walls

• Gabion protected slopes

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMBank Erosion – lower flows

• Live staking

• Brush matting

• Root wads

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMBank Erosion – typical details

• Stone rip rap

• Brush layering

• Soil Wraps

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMBank Erosion – higher flows

• Stone rip rap

• Brush layering

• Soil Wraps

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMBank Erosion – innovative techniques

• Spurs & vanes

• Buried windrows

• Engineered log jams

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMFlooding

• Clean-up

• Repair

• Harden

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMContract out or construct in-house?

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMManage Expectations

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

TMTrail Challenges - Summary