Kingston Point Rail Trail (KPRT): 1.5 miles, 10 foot wide, with a 3% grade. Provides a protected pedestrian and bicycle route through Kingston. Rail trail on the former Ulster & Delaware railroad from midtown Kingston to the Roundout.
Trail Feasibility Study: When a trail is proposed or thought of, before a grant is rewarded to the design it is necessary to perform a trail feasibility study. These studies look for the conditions of the ground and any structures nearby the proposed layout to see if there would be any existing impediments and provides preliminary designs for trail heads, street crossings, surface improvements, drainage, and other important features.
Encroachment- the Kingston Point Rail Trail has three major points of encroachment. Easements might be required to allow access through some of these areas.
Trail Cross section of Kingston Point Rail Trail-trail width will be 10 feet wide to safely accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists traveling in both
directions. A two foot shoulder will be provided on either side of the trail. An 8 to 10 foot vertical clearance also needs to be maintained.
Positivities of having trolley next to trail: low degree of separation between trail and trolley, consistent with the historical legacy of Kingston’s trolley service, unique experience, alternative mode of transportation.
Negatives having trolley next to trail: cost of reconstructing, maintaining rail line, will need bridges, signage and lighting required, loud noise.
Kingston Land Trust and Rail Trail Committee
City of Kingston and Trolley Museum of New York: have been working with Kingston Land Trust and Rail Trail Committee to construct a 1.5 mile rail trail through Kingston.
Hudson River Valley Greenway: along wit the city of Kingston, provided grants to the project totaling $20,000.
ADA Act: American with Disabilities Act. This act puts forth a rubric for trails that want to accommodate to those with disabilities including no more than a 3% grade.
ROW: Right of Way. This is the width and grade of a trail. In regards to Kingston, the ROW is 35 to 45 feet wide with a 3% grade and a ten foot wide treadway.
City of Kingston Climate Action Plan: A plan created by Kingston in 2012 that encourages non-motorized transportation as a way to reduce Kingston contribution to climate change. The Kingston Point Rail Trail works in accordance with this.
Rail trails are great because they are very highly engineered– nice 3% grade throughout the KPRT is better for cyclists and pedestrians than many streets in downtown kingston. Furthermore, it will be a comfortable 10′ wide and can support a lot of weight
The KPRT will restore some bridges that are still being used by cars but aren’t actually being inspected which is disturbin
There are a few areas of bad drainage where debris will be hard to clear and water will have no where to go, so that is going to be a big challenge for the KPRT
The KPRT has the chance to connect to multiple other (rail) trails in the area, due to the layout of the city and kingston’s historical importance as center of the city which leaves a lot of radial paths that are quite convienent and efficient for active transportation.
Crossings: Crossings refer to places where 2 roads, 2 rail lines or 1 road and 1 rail line meet or cross. Usually there is safety concern at crossings. Traffic volumes, sight distance and land use should be considered when evaluating safety at crossings.
Sight distance: Sight distance is the distance/length of a roadway which a driver can see, with an acceptable level of clarity. Sight distance is an important factor to consider when evaluating safety of crossings.
Vegetative screening: Vegetative screening refers to the planting of vegetation which separates the corridor and its neighbors. Vegetative Screening is important to keeping the trail experience wild while also making landowners happy by increasing security and privacy for corridor neighbors.
Infiltration Swales: A swale is a low tract of land, especially one is marshy or moist. Infiltration Swales are designed to collect uphill runoff and resolve drainage issues. Infiltration Swales should have a 3:1 side slope with a minimum of 2 foot base width.
Trailhead: A trailhead is a place where trail begins. Trailhead amenities usually include parking and signage.
Rail-Trolley with trail: Rail-Trolley with trail involves the construction of a shared use path, and adjacent to the path, an active rail line with a trolley operating on it. Unlike rail cars, trolleys are smaller, and they travel much slower. As a result, the separation between the two uses does not need to be intense.
Risk Management: Risk management are management/measures that maximize public safety and minimize exposure to liability. For example, high quality design, ongoing maintenance and municipal liability protection all help maximize public safety and minimize liability exposure.
Performance measures: Performance measures refer to a means of gauging the effectiveness of the trail. Performance measures can be collected through user surveys, user counts, vehicle miles traveled, vehicle counts on adjacent streets, land use and land values. The key is to have data available over time and understandable to the public.
Proposed design for the KPRT “would include restoration of the Hasbrouk Tunnel under Livingston Street and Delaware Ave, re-decking of the spans near Rondout Gardens and the creation of several parks and trail heads with amenities such as community gardens, pavilions, and bike stations”
The first phase is expected to cost around $250,000.
Road Diet: a way for cities to reclaim some of the excess street space they’ve dedicated to cars—generally preserving traffic flows while improving safety and expanding mobility to other modes
- 3-2 Road Diet: by removing one traffic lane and narrowing one parking lane, a city can make room for a protected two-way cycle track beside the curb. This diet proved successful in Brooklyn; after the change injury crashes decreased by 63 percent.
- 4-3 Road Diet: converts four lanes of traffic into three lanes: one in each direction, plus a left-turn lane in the middle.
40 footer lane insertion: Take a 40-foot street with two 12-foot lanes of opposing traffic and two parking lanes at the curb, slim them down to 10 feet—a design configuration that leaves room for a bike lane and makes the street safer, even as it more or less preserves traffic flows.
Bike Lanes to Cycle Tracks: Typically bike lanes run beside car traffic on either side of the street, increasing the potential for collision. But by sliding one parking lane off the curb, this diet makes room for a two-way cycle track protected from moving traffic by a buffer strip as well as a lane of street parking.
Conflict point: On a road, conflict points are places where a crash might occur. Road diet can reduce conflict points.
The Detroit Greenways Coalition (DGC): strives to make Detroit a city for biking and walking. their mission is to create, conserve, and promote greenways and green spaces to connect people, places and nature.
DGC Bike Tour: 8 mile route led by board members aimed to showcase different projects proposed for Detroit’s east side.
Over half of detroit’s pedestrian fatalities occured at night – this is why better lighting is essential for walkways!
9/10ths of pedestrians will survive a collision at 20 mph. 5/10ths at 30mph. Sadly, only 1/10th of pedestrians will survive a collision at 40 mph. Speed legislation saves lives!
Detroit’s concerns “In Detroit blight removal and public lighting are among the highest priorities” and in some neighborhoods “speeding traffic is a major concern”
Complete Street: to address the needs of Detroit, they are working to implement complete streets. “Complete streets are roadways planned, designed and constructed for everyone’s safety.”
eus 305 sustainable trail design 