Bodega Bay Bike & Pedestrian Trail

Background

The Bodega Bay Trail Pedestrian & Bicycle Project, located in the Sonoma County’s Fifth District, was approved in the Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (August 2010). As part of the California Coastal Trail, this project offers a scenic pathway through the town of Bodega Bay parallel to Highway 1. Visitors and residents using this trail would be able to experience the small village atmosphere of Bodega Bay and access the beautiful Sonoma County Coast beaches, historic harbor and picturesque waterfront.

The primary purpose of this project is to develop a safe route for bicyclists and pedestrians travelling along Highway 1 and throughout the town of Bodega Bay. The primary bikeway routes include development of 3.4 miles of bike and pedestrian (Class 1) pathway and 4 miles of shoulder (Class 2) bike lanes along Highway 1. A major project component is construction of over a mile of waterfront boardwalk with access to retail shops, restaurants and scenic overlooks of Bodega Bay Harbor. Secondary bicycle and pedestrian routes will provide pathway connections to surrounding parks, marinas and educational facilities including Spud Point Marina and Bodega Bay Marine Lab.

A conceptual improvement plan and feasibility study for the project was completed in September 2005. This plan was initiated by former fifth District Supervisor Mike Reilly and a community working group. The project consultant LandPeople (of Oakland), prepared the plan, with the input of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) representing community groups and public agencies. Several TAC meetings were held during various stages of the plan preparation including two community forums. The April 7, 2005 meeting at the Grange Hall attracted well over 50 participants.

Implementation

Implementation of the plan is underway. Responsibility for implementing the various segments of the plan is based on public right of way, agency jurisdiction and facility construction. Regional Parks in partnership with State Parks is responsible for implementing the primary Class 1 pedestrian and bikeway segments of the project parallel to Highway 1. Caltrans is responsible for implementing the Class 2 bike lanes along Highway 1 right of way, and Sonoma County Transportation and Public Works is responsible for implementing the connecting Class 1 pedestrian and bikeway projects and Class 2 bike lanes along the County road.

The total cost of the Bodega Bay Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail project, as identified in the 2005 Bodega Bay Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Study (12.9 MB), is approximately $20.4 million. This total includes planning, design, right-of-way, acquisition and construction costs of $6.4 million dollars for the primary pedestrian bikeway routes parallel to Highway 1; $12.4 million for the bike lane improvements along Highway 1 and $1.6 million for the secondary connecting bikeway routes to the surrounding areas. Information on the project cost estimate is included in Section 4.6 of the 2005 Bodega Bay Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Study.

Funding opportunities for the proposed pedestrian and bikeway improvements come from a variety of Regional, State, Federal and Special Transportation and Recreational Programs. County Measure M transportation tax includes funding earmarked for the Bodega Bay Trail project. For more information on Measure M visit the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA) website.

The Bodega Bay Trail project is identified as a high priority in the adopted 2010 County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. As each of the project segments is further defined, more site specific environmental work will be needed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

Trail Segments

The Regional Parks Department is responsible for completion of 8 segments of bike and pedestrian pathway totaling 3.4 miles in length. These segments are organized into development phases, in the order that they have received environmental clearance and funding:

Cheney Creek Bridge Trail - Segment 6C

(Completed 2008) 

The Regional Parks Department completed a 0.4 mile Segment 6C of the Bodega Bay Trail in 2008. This trail segment includes a 110 foot long bridge over Cheney Creek connecting Doran Beach Regional Park to Bird Walk Coastal Access Regional Park. The trail along this segment of the project has an aggregate surface and slopes that are compliant with provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Trailhead parking areas are located in both parks to access the trail. A total of $540,000 in funding from Park Mitigation Fees, a State Coastal Conservancy grant and Measure M funds were used to the complete design and construction of this project.

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Coastal Prairie Trail — Segment 1B & 1C

(Tentative Construction 2013-2015)

The next phase, Coastal Prairie Trail (segments 1B &1C), is located at the most northern end of the Bodega Bay Trail project. At this location, the bikeway is planned to travel through the scenic coastal prairie areas of the Sonoma Coast State Park and County owned land offering a welcome alternative for pedestrians and bicyclists traveling along Highway One.

Proposed facilities for this phase of the project include a 1.1 mile bike and pedestrian trail with an eight foot wide paved surface, two foot wide rock aggregate shoulder, 950 linear feet of boardwalk and a 120 foot long bridge over wetlands and drainage way areas. The project also includes trailhead parking for 7 cars along the shoulder of Keefe Avenue. The disabled parking areas are to be paved to meet ADA standards, with the remaining parking areas to be porous crushed rock.

This project phase originally scheduled for construction in 2010 was rescheduled for construction after 2012, due to environmental issues involving Federal consultation and biological assessments for the endangered California red legged frog. The project specific Initial Study was completed in June 2011. A neighborhood and community scoping meeting was held June 2009 for this project at the Bodega Bay Grange Hall. A cooperative agreement between State Parks and Regional Parks for trail facility installation and maintenance will be needed prior to construction. An estimated $1.2 million in funding is needed for the Coastal Prairie Trail phase of the project. Of this amount, approximately $800,000 is currently budgeted from existing funds. Pending additional funding, this phase of the project is tentatively scheduled for construction between 2013 and 2015.

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Harbor Coastal Trail — Segments 3D-2, 5B & 6B 

This 1 mile of pathway, including over 0.3 miles of boardwalk, is in the planning stage. It goes through the County Birdwalk Coastal Access Regional Park, public tidelands and the right of way along State Highway 1 and Smith Brothers (County) Road. Aerial Topographic mapping has been prepared and Right of Way negotiation with the owners of the Tides and Lucas Wharf will be needed to complete the design of the pathway alignment.

An estimated $2.0 million in funding is needed for this phase of the project.

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North Harbor Coastal Trail — Segments 2B & 3D-1

This 1 mile of pathway, including over 0.6 miles of boardwalk will travel through Bodega Dunes State Park, along the right of way of Eastshore Road and the public tidelands of Bodega Bay Harbor. Right of Way negotiation with State Parks and the owners of the Porto Bodega Marina property will be needed to complete this alignment.

The estimated cost of this phase of the project is $2.4 million.

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Next Steps

The next step for Regional Parks in the Bodega Bay Pedestrian and Bicycle Trail Project is to complete the Coastal Prairie Trail phase of the project. To receive existing grant funding, this project phase needs to have the regulatory permits issued, complete the federal environmental review process, complete a cooperative agreement with State Parks, and be ready for bidding by August 2013.

The middle 2 miles of the pathway, the Harbor Coastal Trail and North Harbor Coastal Trail phases of the project will need to secure $3.9 million in additional funding for final planning design, acquisition and construction. Regional Parks is currently using a planning grant from the State Coastal Conservancy, Park Mitigation fees, and measure M funds to complete planning and design for this phase of the project. Once the planning and design has been completed, a neighborhood scoping meeting will be scheduled.

Citizens Advisory Committee

The Sonoma County Regional Parks Department is in the process of re-establishing the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Bodega Bay Trail project. The committee is an advisory body and provides recommendations to the Regional Parks Department with respect to the Bodega Bay Trail project. This committee will focus on the southern trail segments (North Harbor Coastal Trail and Harbor Coastal Trail) from the Bodega Bay Community Center to the Birdwalk Coastal Access Park.

Anyone interested in serving on the committee, please contact Ken Tam at (707) 565-3348 or by email.