Karen Gerrity, Nederland. The Town of Nederland submitted a land use application to the County and is proposing construction of an emergency egress trail at the east end of the Big Springs Subdivision. A need for an emergency egress from the neighborhood during a forest fire was identified by the US Forest Service. There is currently limited access from the east end of the neighborhood to Hwy 119 and is estimated to take 45 minutes to evacuate the neighborhood in an emergency event. The proposed egress trail would provide one-way access from Doe Trail to Magnolia Road and currently follows an existing recreational trail.

The existing trail is primarily located on Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS) property. BCPOS has signed the Boulder County planning application and USFS has indicated an easement has already been dedicated for the trail. The existing trail is a single foot path through the forest land with several smaller named and unnamed trails intersecting the main trail. The trail is approximately 3,900 feet long..

The proposed egress trail will widen the approximately 4-foot wide existing trail to 12 feet. It will approximately follow the existing trail except in areas where large trees are being saved or excessive earthwork operations are anticipated. Emergency pull offs have been placed at approximately 500-foot spacing to allow for stranded vehicles to be pushed out of the way or for emergency access. It is intended that emergency vehicles will enter the neighborhood from Hwy 119 but may utilize the trail depending on wind direction during a fire event. Reverse 911 calls will be placed to the residents of the neighborhood during a fire to direct them to the appropriate egress.

The vertical profile of the proposed egress trail will follow the existing grade as best as feasible to minimize earthwork. Several sections of the trail will require up to a 12% longitudinal slope. Several areas of exposed rock were noted along the existing trail and every effort to minimize cut has been made during the design of the proposed trail. It is anticipated that approximately 1,500 cubic yards of fill will need to be imported to achieve the proposed vertical design. It is anticipated that large boulders and cobbles will be excavated from the project in areas of cut and will be utilized as short walls to retain hill slopes to the greatest extent possible to either protect trees or minimize earthwork activities. Additional rock of similar characteristic to those found on the site may be imported if additional material is necessary for the walls.

Due to the integrated nature of the trail with the surrounding neighborhood, the Town is proposing to use a mix of soil and gravel with a native seed mix. Initial meetings with the community indicated a trail with a hard surface would take away from the character of the area and promote use of the trail by motorized vehicles.

As part of the Town’s permit with the USFS, a biological survey will be required for flammulated owls and raptors prior to start of construction. In order to minimize impact to the existing open space, a small roadside ditch is planned on the uphill side of the trail with several cross culverts directing minor storm runoff into the main drainageway. Major storm runoff does overtop the trail in several places prior to entering the main drainageway. The ditch will either be lined with native stone or a non-biodegradable erosion control blanket to help prevent erosion. A larger culvert will be required at the north end of the trail as it crosses over the main drainageway.

The Town hosted 3 neighborhood meetings with the residents during 2016 and 2017. The overall sentiment for the project was positive. The majority of comments received from the residents were related to saving specific trees that had sentimental value and not having a visually unappealing hard trail. The Town has located the specific trees with a hand-held GPS and where feasible, the widened trail has either been diverted around the tree or a short retaining wall will be used in fill slopes to protect the tree. A gravel/soil mix will be used as a surface material to help support vegetation growth and vehicles.

The Town and Nederland Fire Protection District are researching resources for construction funding and anticipates submitting for grant money in November 2019. If successful, it is anticipated that construction will occur in spring of 2020 with a completion later that fall.

(Originally published in the April 11, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)