Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project

Location

Cheasty Natural Area, Cheasty Blvd S & S Della St, 98144

Budget

$571,000 - Funding sources include: the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Grant, Seattle Park District, and community donations through the Seattle Parks Foundation (Please visit Donate to Cheasty Trails and Bike Park to contribute through the Seattle Parks Foundation.)

Schedule

Construction Phase 1: May 2021 - Late Spring 2023
Construction Phase 2: Spring 2024 - Late Spring 2025

Project

The idea of a bike trail was first suggested by community members almost a decade ago. What started as a desire to provide more recreational opportunities as well as deeper connections with community and nature, became what we now refer to as the Cheasty Mountain Bike and Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project. 

The proposal is a bicycle and pedestrian loop trail system. There would be limited grading and no significant trees are proposed for removal. There are identified Environmental Critical Areas (ECAs) located within the site. It is also worth noting that the proposed trail alignment has been reconfigured from the 2015 proposal: the new alignment further avoids the wetland complex and steep slopes. This is not a permanent use, but rather a pilot project. It is not being rolled out within all of our greenspaces: this particular proposal is only occurring within Cheasty. This three-year pilot will commence once the mountain bike trails are open. During that time, SPR will conduct an evaluation, which includes monitoring the trails and assessing impacts to wetlands, erosion control, habitat disturbance, and parking impacts. After the conclusion of the pilot period, SPR will decide if they will continue to allow mountain bikes on the trails within Cheasty Greenspace.

Background

Almost a decade ago, the Friends of Cheasty Greenspace at Mountain View, along with other stakeholders had an idea. They wanted to build community and provide more access and opportunities to an underused green space. Through many conversations, community grants and hundreds of volunteer hours, that idea gained traction when Seattle Parks and Recreation began examining the feasibility. The result was the proposed bicycle and pedestrian trail pilot project within Cheasty Greenspace, which is located in southeast Seattle at Cheasty Blvd. S and S. Della St.

This project entails bicycle and pedestrian trails within Cheasty, that will provide additional opportunities for families and neighbors to access nature through our urban park greenspaces. The proposal is quite intentional and has been designed to minimize environmental impacts by utilizing best management practices for protecting wetlands and enhancing the stability of the steep slopes. SPR feels this is a win-win situation, creating opportunity and expanding accessibility while being mindful of the importance of our green spaces.

In 2015, SPR studied the potential environmental impacts of the Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project and found there were no significant environmental impacts and issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS). That decision was appealed to the City of Seattle's Hearing Examiner. On Jan. 26, 2016, the Hearing Examiner found that there was insufficient information for SPR to issue a DNS at this time and that more information and study are needed about wetland impacts including drainage/hydrologic impacts as they relate to wetlands, impacts to trees including through compaction and altered hydrology and any associated impacts to wildlife habitat.

In 2017, the City's Survey Crews completed the surveying groundwork and mapping of the proposed trail alignment. Environmental consultants completed the seasonal wetland evaluation and re-evaluated the trail alignment, including the trail's buffer areas, with special emphasis on issues that were raised by the Hearing Examiner related to environmental impacts. The result of this work is an updated proposal that has been reconfigured from the 2015 version: the modified trail alignment further avoids the wetland complex and steep slopes. SPR has evaluated the impacts of the proposal as it relates to these limited areas of the environment and feels confident the project can move forward. A Determination of Non-Significance was issued on October 15, 2018. The appeal period ran through November 5 and the public comment period was open through November 13, 2018.

Community Participation

Process

The beginnings of the Cheasty Mountain Bike and Pedestrian Trail go back to at least 2013. SPR has worked closely with both internal and external stakeholders. Some highlights of the conversation include:

• The issue of Bicycle Use policy and/or the Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail was before the Board of Park Commissioners at least four times, between 2013 and 2015. 
• The Seattle Board of Park Commissioners held a public hearing on the Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project on April 9, 2015.
• SPR convened a Project Advisory Team (PAT) for the Cheasty Mountain Bike/Pedestrian Trail Pilot Project, which included a five-month public process.
• Robust community outreach, two site tours and input from a Landscape Architect, Geotechnical Engineer and Environmental Consultant.
• Hundreds of public comments and input throughout the process helped shape and ultimately improve the proposed project.

Documents

Monitoring Period Reports

• Baseline Report

Year 1 Monitoring Reports

• Q2 Report
• Q3 Report
• Q4 Report

Year 2 Monitoring Reports

• Q2 Report
• Q3 Report

May 2023

North Loop SEPA DNS

• Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) Document
• DNS Analysis 

April 2023

• North Loop Design Video Presentation

North Loop SEPA Checklist and Attachments 

• SEPA Environmental Checklist Document
• North Loop Trail Design
• GeoTech Report 
• Critical Areas Study And Conceptual Migitation Plan
• Inadvertent Discovery Plan
• Upper Luther Burbank Park Bike Skills Area Assessment

2022

• Phase One Opening Celebration Event Poster

2018

• Cheasty Bike Trail Pilot - Project Update Info Sheet
• SEPA  Determination of Non-Significance (DNS)
• SEPA Checklist
• Cheasty Critical Areas Study and Conceptual Mitigation Plan 
• Cheasty Critical Areas Study and Conceptual Mitigation Plan, Appendix
• Geotechnical Engineering Report 1
• Geotechnical Engineering Report 2, Appendix
• Cheasty Trails Map - Technical rendering
• Cheasty Bike Trail Arborist Report

2017

• Wetland Delineation and Trail Design - Aerial View of Wetlands 
• Geo Hazards - Aerial view of geologic hazard areas

2016

• Project Area Vicinity Map  
• Inadvertent Discovery Plan - Trail Pilot Project
• Hearing Examiner's decision

2015

• Hearing News Release 

2014

• Optional Trail Features 
• FAQ Sheet

Zipped Files

• Community Communications Documents (ZIP File)   
  (File includes but is not limited to: 2014 FAQ sheet, Bicycle Use Policy, 2014-2015 Outreach, 2014 Cheasty Project Advisory Team notes)
• SEPA Documents (ZIP File) 
  (File includes but is not limited to: 2015 analysis and decision of SPR, 2015 Determination of Non-Significance, 2014 schematic design, SEPA checklist)
• Environmental Documents 
  (Jan 2014) Draft consultant agreement, (Nov 2014) Draft scope proposal, (Jan 2015) Wetland Reconnaissance and Wildlife Habitat Assessment
• Environmental Documents 
  (Nov 2013) Inventory snapshot, Monitoring criteria and evaluation checklist, 2013 Wildlife Survey
• Maps/Drawings/Charts 
  (Nov 2014) Preliminary schematics designs, slope map, GSP management zones and forest values, design process
• Technical Reports 
  (March 2015) Cheasty Schematic Design at Mountainview
• Technical Reports  - January 2014 (Geotechnical engineering investigation), November 2014 (Preliminary Geotechnical Evaluation, Wetland Reconnaissance and Wildlife Habitat Assessment)
• Board of Park Commissioners Agendas and Minutes related to this project  - October, November 2013, January 2014 & April 2015
• Project Advisory Team and Community Outreach documents - 2014-2015