Project Title: Miller Bluff Trail Construction
Project Description: The Outdoor Recreation Alliance of the 7 Rivers Region (“ORA Trails”) in Partnership with the City of La Crosse Parks Recreation and Forestry Department (“La Crosse Parks”) is seeking Contractor(s) to provide quotations for new trail construction and existing trail reroute and repair for the Miller Bluff Trail Project. The work site included in this project is located on Miller Bluff within the Lower Hixon Forest Property, in the City of La Crosse, WI.
The project area encompasses moderate-to-rugged terrain with well-drained side slopes of 15-70% and some low-slope areas of less than 10%. Elevation ranges from 700 to 1,200 feet with some nearby vertical surfaces. The trail passes through mostly urban forest land, hardwoods, and a considerable amount of invasive plant species.
The Miller Bluff Trail Project as proposed is a linear hiking trail that would connect the Lower Hixon parking lot located on the south end of Milson Court to the city-owned property located at the west end of Rim of the City Road, as well as intersect with the existing Vista Trail located in Lower Hixon Forest. A parcel located near the top of the bluff is currently undergoing a land swap to transfer ownership to the City of La Crosse and is within the scope of work for this project. Currently there are no formal existing trails that link the two termini as described. There are however some existing informal trails within this area that are not considered sustainable by current trail standards, or are in need of repair. The informal trails are also very steep and rugged in areas, which limits who can enjoy this area.
The design concept of the Miller Bluff Trail will be to provide a bidirectional hiking experience that is both sustainable and enjoyable for a broader spectrum of trail users. The desired width of the trail tread will be 30-48” but still be considered “Single Track” by nature. The surface of the final trail tread will be composed of natural materials as currently found onsite. Some rock armoring and rock use will be included for drainage purposes. Included with the Addition of the Miller Bluff Trail, is the renovation of the Bluff Pass Trail already existing in hixon Forest. The two trails should intersect near the top of the bluff as shown in Appendix A on page 18 of the RFP.
The trail will need drainage features in the form of Rolling Grade Dips (Grade reversals) every 100ft-150ft. The second turn requires adding ~350ft of new trail construction to flatten the steep, eroding grade and revegetation of the bypassed section. The trail tread throughout will need restoration where erosion exists, bringing the trail up to modern trail building standards.
Due to the topography of the region, the skill level of this trail is assumed to be of an
intermediate or “Blue” level experience similar to the existing Vista Trail. The plan will include seeking interesting and aesthetically pleasing control points along the trail which will highlight the beauty of our region. Modern trail design standards will be used throughout the planning and design of the Miller Bluff Trail. Those standards can be found throughout the recent Gateway Trail project. Drainage and other environmental concerns will receive the highest priority throughout the design of this plan.
The work outlined in this document shall be completed by September 24, 2021. The project’s estimated scope of work includes the construction of approximately 1 mile of new construction single use trail as well as .5 miles of repairing existing trail.
Company/Organization/Agency Submitting Contract: City of La Crosse Parks Department
Primary Contact for Contract Information: Leah Burns
Email Address: burnsl@cityoflacrosse.org
Closest City to Project: La Crosse
State/Province/Region: Wisconsin
Country: United States
Pre-Bid Meeting Date: 5/11/2021
Anticipated Project Start Date: 6/14/2021
Application Deadline: 10/22/2021