Project Description: The Town of Buena Vista is seeking proposals for the maintenance, upgrades, and repairs to the existing Barbara Whipple Corridor Trail. This is a single-phase, top-priority project that will complete an agency-approved trail restoration project. The collaborative nature of the project involves local municipal and county support and engagement from the local nonprofit Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition. The project will restore 0.3 miles of corridor trail to current industry standards, improve three access points to the Arkansas River to become sustainable and safe, naturalize numerous social trails, and enhance three existing overlook areas. Contractors will reclaim user-created social trails and segments that are bypassed by the restored trail. Machine trail building techniques and removal of large rock and other materials may be required in specific areas. All of the projects take place on land owned by the Town of Buena Vista. The Town and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have a Cooperative Management Agreement (CMA) for this area and are committed to working together on the project. It is anticipated that this work will be done between late September-November 2022. The Whipple Trail is the gateway to a large system of non-motorized, multi-use trails in the Midland area of the Fourmile Travel Management Area. The Whipple Trail begins by crossing the Arkansas River from the BV River Park on the west side of the river to the trail on the east side. The Whipple Trail parallels the east side of the Arkansas River, approximately 50 feet higher in elevation than the water. It attracts trail users interested in accessing the river, although there is no official river access in this segment at this time. As a result, this area has numerous user-created social trails, from the Whipple Trail to the river, that are the locus of preferential erosion of the trail tread and are the cause of many unnecessary areas or runoff. Over 80% of this trail is less than the federally recommended tread width for multi-use trails of 48" (NPS). 15% of this trail is less than 30" wide, which is a safety hazard, particularly as the number of people that use this trail continues to increase. The trail width has been a particular concern because, with the steep upslope and downslope, there is not adequate space for trail users to practice safe passing distances. Improvements will encourage users to stay on the designated trail system by bringing the width up to industry standards and enhancing the tread of the trail, armoring both sides of the trail with native materials, rerouting (within the trail corridor) certain problematic zones, naturalizing the numerous social trails to decrease interest in using these routes, and producing and installing informative signage to educate users what the best practices are on this corridor trail. River access points will replace unsustainable user-created routes, and restoration efforts will prevent future resource damage sediment issues in these areas. The Whipple Trail design goal is a corridor width trail with a sustainable trail alignment, appropriate grade, drainage structures, and hardened tread. User-created trails will be closed, reclaimed, and naturalized to prevent further resource damage and protect the water quality of the Arkansas River. Proposals that do not exceed a total cost of $69,000 will be considered.
Company/Organization/Agency Submitting Contract: Town of Buena Vista
Primary Contact for Contract Information: Earl Richmond
Email Address: erichmond@buenavistaco.gov
Closest City to Project: Buena Vista
State/Province/Region: CO
Country: US
Pre-Bid Meeting Date: 8/15/2022
Pre-Bid Meeting Time: 1:0:0 PM
A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting will occur on Monday, August 15th, at 1 pm at the Whipple Bridge Trailhead. Bids are due on Monday, August 29th, by 5 pm.
Anticipated Project Start Date: 9/20/2022
Application Deadline: 8/29/2022
Additional Project Bid Information: http://buenavistaco.gov/2228/RFPs-RFQs
Request for Proposals - Whipple Corridor Trail Maintenance - Amended 07092022 (PDF)
Whipple Trail Restoration Map (PDF)
Whipple Corridor Trail - BV River Park Location (PDF)
Photo Collage - BV Rec Whipple Trail Project (PDF)
Date Submitted to PTBA: 7/11/2022