Art3_County_FY15_BikePed_Trona_App_CLOSED
Transportation Development Act Article 3 Phase 1
Call for Projects
For
Active Transportation Program Local Match Assistance
Project Name Trona Bikeway Connection and Rehabilitation
Applicant (Agency name) County of San Bernardino
Applicant Contact (Name, title, email, phone #
of individual authorizing the application)
Eric D. Jacobsen, Chief, Transportation Planning Division,
ejacobsen@dpw.sbcounty.gov, (909)387-8166
Partner Name(s) (if applicable) N/A
Project Funding
ATP funds to be requested in Cycle 2 (80% of
total project cost) $677,600
Requested matching funds from TDA Article 3
(16% of total project cost) $135,520
20% Local Match (4% of total project cost –
please also identify the source of those funds) $33,880 (Highway User Tax Account funds)
Total project funds $847,000
Project Type
Bicycle X
(Bicycle projects must be consistent with San
Bernardino County NMTP)
Pedestrian □
Bicycle/Pedestrian □
Safe Routes to School □
Recreational Trail □
Narrative Question
RESPOND TO THE DRAFT ATP CRITERIA BY DESCRIBING BRIEFLY THE BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT
RELATED TO INCREASING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION MODE SHARE, SAFETY, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, COST
EFFECTIVENESS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
(PLEASE NOTE THE QUESTIONS IN THE ATP CYCLE 2 APPLICATION FOR DESCRIPTION/EXPLANATION OF EACH
CRITERION – BULLET POINTS MAY BE USED TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS – ADDITIONAL MATERIAL MAY BE
ATTACHED, BUT IS NOT REQUIRED)
(0-30 POINTS)
1. Describe how your project will encourage increased bicycling and walking and generally improve
the ease of travel for non-motorized users
This project proposes to reconstruct 3.7 miles of the existing Class I/II Bicycle Lane on Trona Road
between Adams Street north to Pocket Park adjacent to Senior Center on east side of Trona Road. The
original bikeway was constructed in the 1970s and due to the harsh desert weather conditions, the path
needs to be rehabilitated. Further, a rainstorm washed out a portion of the bikeway and the County had
to close the bike path due to a washout.
In this remote rural location, widely dispersed housing tracts have little connectivity to the wider
community and the school site is isolated from the larger student catchment area by a two-lane road
with pedestrian/ bike access only partly realized. Within the traffic volume mix of vehicles on Trona
Road, on which the bike path borders, heavy dump truck vehicles comprise a significant percentage of
the traffic flow. Even with posted speed limits, passage of these vehicles increases interaction with
cyclists and pedestrians who must use the roadway for pedestrian and bicycle travel due to the
unavailability of the bikeway. The community has high unemployment and many families have limited
access to vehicles, necessitating walking or bicycling within the community for services and social
purposes.
The Transport Policy Journal published a study entitled Cycling to Work in 90 Large American Cities: New
Evidence on the Role of Bike Paths and Lanes (http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/bikepaths.pdf),
by Ralph Buehler and John Pucher that found that the presence of off-road bike paths and on-street bike
lanes were, by far, the biggest determinant of cycling rates in cities. The study measured the relationship
between cycling levels and bikeways, as well as other explanatory and control variables and confirmed
that cities with a greater supply of bike paths and lanes have significantly higher bike commute rates—
even when controlling for land use, climate, socioeconomic factors, gasoline prices, public transport
supply, and cycling safety.
Currently, bicyclists are unable to use most of the bike path because of its condition and instead travel
on the road. By providing a linkage dedicated to bike access, many students and community residents
will regain an improved path of travel and be encouraged to use the reconstructed bike path.
2. Describe how the project creates or improves walking and/or bicycling routes and connectivity to
destinations, and how it removes barriers to walking and/or bicycling.
Trona Road, also known as State Highway 178, which parallels the bikeway, is a narrow-laned road
traversing the community leading to destinations outside of the County’s boundaries (City of Ridgecrest
in Kern County and Death Valley in Inyo County). The traffic volume on Trona Road contains a mixture of
vehicles, with heavy dump trucks from nearby mines and quarries comprising a significant percentage of
the traffic flow. Even with posted speeds, passage of these vehicles increases interaction with cyclists
and pedestrians. The community has high unemployment and many families have limited access to
vehicles, necessitating walking or bicycling within the community for services and social purposes.
Because the community land area is extremely small at 9.3 square miles, the existing bike path is the
only established biking amenity in existence. The bike path runs along the entire length of the
community and provides bicycle connectivity to the community’s schools, shops, churches, and civic
organizations. The bike path serves as the only bike corridor for the community. Because of its remote
location and relative isolation, there are no transit routes within the community, making the bike path
an important path of travel for community members. This Class I bikeway has provided and will again
provide connectivity to community activity centers, including the Senior Center and Park. Providing
pavement improvements oriented to bicycling, will encourage additional riding activities.
Because Trona is a small community, the bikeway provides access to several community locations. Major
destinations served by the existing lanes include schools (elementary and high school). The proposed
link provides access to the Post Office, shops, Sheriff’s substation, Senior Center and other social
services. The proposed construction between the north and south branches provides a full community
connection embracing the school complex site of many social activities and Senior Center, and multiple
services. More specifically, the following community businesses and services accessible by the bikeway
include:
Trona Elementary School
Trona High School
Trona Community Day School
St. Madeline Catholic Church
Trona Community Church
Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society
Rest Area
Rite-Valu Market
Harmony Wedding Planning
San Bernardino County Library-Trona Branch
VFW Hall
Trona Elks Lodge
Trona Industrial Supply
T Stop Gas Station
Water Blaster
Trona Golf Course
Esparza Family Restaurant
Trails Drive In Restaurant
Blevins Family Restaurant
3. Describe how the project reduces the number and/or rate of pedestrian and bicycle fatalities and
injuries.
The current vehicle traffic lanes are 12 feet wide with a fog line adjacent to the edge of pavement.
During inspections of the bikeway, County staff observed bicyclists using the roadway instead of the
bikeway because of its condition. Reconstruction of the existing Class I bikeway reduces pedestrian and
bicycle/vehicle interaction because the bikeway provides a travel facility separate from the roadway.
Separating pedestrians and bicycles from vehicle traffic reduces the opportunities for injury or fatalities
related to collisions with vehicles.
A report published in the American Journal of Public Health entitled, “Route Infrastructure and the Risk
of Injuries to Bicyclists: A Case-Crossover Study” examined different types of bicycle infrastructure and
found that cycle tracks (a bike pathway separated from the road) provided the lowest injury risk, about
one ninth the risk of major streets with parked cars and no bike infrastructure and bike lanes on major
streets with no parked cars and off-street bike paths had nearly half the risk.
Source: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300762
4. Describe the community based public participation process that culminated in the project proposal.
County Public Works staff discussed the project with school staff from the community and garnered
feedback and support for the County’s efforts to rehabilitate the bike path and restore its functionality.
In addition, during field reviews, County Public Works staff discussed the project with cyclists using the
roadway and again received feedback and garnered support.
The County is in the process of scheduling community meetings for additional feedback and support for
the project.
5. Describe the health issues in the project area and how the project will address each of them.
Provide local health data and sources, and collaborative efforts with health agencies where possible.
Traditional community health assessment databases, such as the County of San Bernardino Department
of Public Health’s Healthy San Bernardino and the California Health Interview Survey from the UCLA
Center for Health Policy Research provide health, economic, and social data for communities based on
zip code. However, the unincorporated community of Joshua has such a small demographic that health
data for this community was not collected and therefore unavailable.
Health data for San Bernardino County, as a whole, is readily available and, at a minimum, is a good
indicator of health issues in the community of Trona. The Health San Bernardino database indicates that
69.1% of San Bernardino County adult residents are obese or overweight, 10.6% of all residents have
been diagnosed with diabetes. In addition, 13.8% of San Bernardino County adults and 21.4% of children
and teens suffer from asthma and only 15.5% of San Bernardino County adults engage in moderate
physical activity. Obesity rates and rate of physical activity for children in San Bernardino County were
not available on either database.
This project will address the following health issues:
Obesity/Overweight: Regular exercise and proper nutrition helps reduce body fat as well as protect
against chronic diseases associated with obesity. Extension of the bikeway will provide a longer exercise
facility. Cycling is one of the easiest ways to exercise and can be done at low cost. Steady cycling burns
approximately 300 calories per hour. Availability of a bikeway separated from traffic could induce
residents to exercise.
Asthma: As reported in the Health Behavior News Service, appropriate exercise programs can provide
valuable benefits to people with asthma, helping to reduce the severity of attacks or prevent them
entirely, finds a new evidence review in The Cochrane Library. The review also found that, contrary to
fears that patients and parents of asthmatic children sometimes have, exercise does not generally
worsen the condition. If a person’s asthma is stable and controlled, exercise can help reduce the
symptoms and the reliance on medication. Exercise can help improve breathing performance and cardio
respiratory conditioning. Exercise also increases muscular strength and endurance, which improves
oxygen uptake. The availability of a functional bikeway will provide opportunities for asthmatics to
exercise, which can help alleviate symptoms.
Engaging in Physical Activity: Rehabilitation of the bike path would restore a walking and biking path of
travel in the community of Trona. As the Buehler and Pucher study mentioned above noted, the
presence of off-road bike paths and on-street bike lanes were, by far, the biggest determinant of cycling
rates in cities. In recognition of the benefits of bicycling, and in response to strong public pressure,
public policies in the United States have become more supportive of bicycling. If the County were able to
restore the bikeway, the bikeway would provide an opportunity to increase bicycling in the community.
And, as noted earlier cycling is one of the easiest ways to exercise.
DTP-0001 (Revised July 2013)
End Closeout Phase (Closeout Report)
End Environmental Phase (PA&ED Milestone)
Begin Design (PS&E) Phase
End Design Phase (Ready to List for Advertisement Milestone)
Begin Right of Way Phase
Right of Way
SCAG
Project Title
Project ID
End Right of Way Phase (Right of Way Certification Milestone)
Begin Construction Phase (Contract Award Milestone)
PS&E
Construction
Eric D. Jacobsen
PPNO
County Project Sponsor/Lead Agency
County of San Bernardino
EA
PM Bk PM Ahd
08
Project Manager/Contact
Capital Outlay
N/ADraft Project Report
Route/Corridor
09/30/16
03/30/17
Proposed
N/A
Project Milestone
District
PA&ED
06/30/17
05/30/19
06/30/17
Implementing Agency
County of San Bernardino
County of San Bernardino
N/A
Begin Environmental (PA&ED) Phase
Currently, bicyclists avoid using the bike path because of its condition and instead travel on the road. The
traffic volume on Trona Road contains a mixture of vehicles, with heavy dump trucks from nearby mines and
quarries comprising a significant percentage of the traffic flow. Even with posted speeds, passage of these
vehicles increases interaction with cyclists and pedestrians. By providing a linkage dedicatedd to bike access,
many students from the schools along Trona Road and community residents will regain an improved path of
travel and be encouraged to use the bike path.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ● DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PROJECT PROGRAMMING REQUEST
Date:3/16/15
General Instructions
Rehabilitation of 3.7 miles of the existing Class I/II Bicycle Lane, portions of which are closed to the public due
to its condition, on Trona Road between Adam Street north to Pocker Park adjacent to the Senior Center on
the east side of Trona Road in the San Bernardino County unincorporated community of Trona.
MPO
Location, Project Limits, Description, Scope of Work See page 2
Trona Bikeway Connection and Rehabilation
MPO ID TCRP No.
For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document is available in alternate formats. For information call (916) 654-6410 or TDD
(916) 654-3880 or write Records and Forms Management, 1120 N Street, MS-89, Sacramento, CA 95814.
N/A
N/A
02/28/19
08/30/18
E-mail Address
Project Study Report Approved
Component
Phone
909-387-8166
Includes Bike/Ped ImprovementsIncludes ADA Improvements
Element
ejacobsen@dpw.sbcounty.gov
Supports Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) Goals Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions
County of San Bernardino
Purpose and Need See page 2
Project Benefits See page 2
Because Trona is a small community, the bikeway provides access to several community locations. Major
destinations served by the existing lanes include schools (elementary and high school). The proposed link
provides access to the Post Office, shops, Sheriff’s substation, Senior Center and other social services.
End Construction Phase (Construction Contract Acceptance Milestone)
CEDocument TypeCirculate Draft Environmental Document
ADA Notice
05/30/19
07/30/19
Begin Closeout Phase
New Project
Project Location
Trona Bike Path Location Map
San Bernardino County TDA Article III 2016
DESTINATIONS SERVED:
•Trona Elementary and High School
•Trona Community Day School
•Christian Fellowship of Trona
•St. Madeleine Catholic Church
•Trona Community Church
•Senior Center
•Rite-Valu Market
•Post Office
•County Library
•County Human Services
Trona Bike Path
Athol Street north
to Marshall Street
Elementary and High
School
St. Madeline Catholic Church
Trona Community Church
Rite-Valu Market
County Human Services
Senior Center
Christian Fellowship of Trona
Post Office
County Library
Community Day School
Trona Community Destinations Served
San Bernardino County TDA Art III 2016 Trona Bike Path
Trona Road
Collision Diagram
2011-2015
5/24/2012
.02M S. Verbena Street
23152A Cross Center Line
Sideswiped
2 Injuries
10/30/2011
0.10M Marshall Street
22107A Unsafe Lane
change
Ran off Road
Property Damage Only
1/8/2015
Trona Road OH North
22350A Speeding
Rear-End
Property Damage Only
San Bernardino County TDA Article III 2016 Trona Bike Path
TRONA EXISTING CLASS I BIKEWAY CONDITION APRIL 2013